The Hobbit: The Determination of Dru
by AbiNotNormal
Summary: In the sequel to 'An Unexpected Accomplice', we continue the journey of the Fourteen Dwarves, one Hobbit and a Wizard called Gandalf as they head towards the Lonely Mountain. To reclaim their home. But will Druili be able to protect her family along the way? And will her and Thorin actually get a chance to talk and discuss the past between them? Rated T for a lot of swearing
1. Filled with Determination

_C1: Filled with Determination_

_"Of all the money that e'er I spent_

_I've spent it in good company_

_And all the harm that ever I did_

_Alas it was to none but me_

_And all I've done for want of wit-"_

_Dis stopped her singing and kneading the dough she was working on, turning around when she heard the knocking at her front door. Covered in flour, she projected her voice so as not to leave a white, snowy trail on the floor._

_"The door's open!"_

_When she heard it click open and footsteps enter, she smiled at the sight that greeted her._

_"Thorin, you're back!" She hastily began to tidy her hands and arms on her apron, making sure to get most of it on the kitchen counter, "I wasn't expecting you back for a few more days!"_

_Thorin approached his sister and accepted the tender kiss she placed on his cheek, her hands holding on to his forearms. _

_"There were some issues with an order and then...I heard word...about father."_

_Dis pulled back sharply as if his very words had burned her._

_"I received word that father had been seen wandering the wilds near Dunland," he looked at her expression, her eyes wide and hopeful, "I went looking. I left the work and searched."_

_"Did...did you find any trace of him?" He felt her fingers grip his coat._

_"No. I found no sign of him," Thorin couldn't turn away in time to see the pain in her eyes. The pain, quickly followed by a familiar regret._

_She pulled away from him and turned back to kneading the dough on her table, harder than before._

_"I don't bloody know why I let you do that to me," she punctuated each word with a hard punch to her dough, "every. Time."_

_Thorin turned to watch her for a bit, the tension and frustration evident in her shoulders and back as she rolled and punched the food she was making._

_"Dis," he said, softly beckoning for her to look at him, "please. You of all people should understand."_

_Her kneading ceased after a few more hard, downward punches and her shoulders sagged, but she still did not turn to him._

_"I can't do this again, Thorin," her head came back and her eyes were raised to the ceiling and Thorin recognised this as her way to hold back her tears. She'd been doing it since she was a child._

_"He may-" he reached out and his fingertips only just touched her shoulder, when she rounded on him, flour spilling all over the floor._

_"He's gone! Thorin," her voice shook with a gentle rage that only she could do, "Father is GONE. You seem to be the only one having trouble accepting that." _

_Thorin squared his shoulders and felt his own temper rise._

_"He wasn't among the dear that day Dis!" His hand came up and pushed back his long hair that had spilt into his face, "What do you want me to do?! If it were one of us, he would never give up looking either!"_

_Dis groaned and threw her own hands to cover her face, realising only too late she was still covered in flour. She grunted with anger and quickly wiped away the flour from her face with her apron, taking a moment to wipe her frustration away with it also. It'd be no good having this conversation with him again. The last time, they hadn't talked for a week and the children had felt the tension._

_Sighing, she took deep breaths and kept her tone civil and level._

_"Just...is there any good news you bring me today? Any new jobs, commissions?"_

_"Not as such, no," Thorin's own anger had dispersed now he had to face the other problem he wanted to talk with her about, "but there is...good news. Whilst I paid a visit to a tavern in Bree, I was approached by Gandalf the Grey."_

_Druili heard Dis's gasp at the aforementioned name and pressed herself closer to the door, listening intently. She had not meant to listen in, but after Dis shouted at Thorin, she wanted to make sure that it was safe to come inside. And so far, it wasn't. So she listened some more, just to be sure when it was safe._

_That's how her brothers found her. They'd come back from hunting, a successful days bounty of pheasants for that night's supper and they were congratulating themselves as they walked along the path home, when Kili put his arm in front of Fili._

_"Fili," Kili nodded his head towards the house they lived in, "I can see someone eavesdropping." _

_Fili, following his brother's gaze, smiled mischievously._

_Druili had her body pressed against the front door of their house. Her back was to them and one hand was up and pressed to the side of her head, a gesture she did many times when she wanted to hear something better on the other side of whatever it was she happened to be eavesdropping for._

_Fili and Kili shared a glance._

_Quietly, stealthily as they had been taught, they walked right up behind her, a wicked grin on either of their faces. Kili gave Fili a small wink, letting him do the honours. _

_Making sure to leave enough space to avoid her punches, Fili whispered low in a practised 'Thorin' voice._

_"What are you doing?!"_

_Druili jolted and spun around, steadying herself as her legs dared to get entangled and urge her to fall over. She luckily didn't scream, but the sharp intake of breath and garbled choked shout was enough to please Fili and let him know, he'd done a successful job in frightening some life out of her. He wasn't smiling when she suddenly dove for him and grabbed his moustache braids, pulling him down and close to her face._

_"NEVER. DO THAT. AGAIN," she hissed at him, trying to keep quiet, but yelped when he grabbed her own braids, the ones she'd grown so fiercely fond of._

_"Let. Go," he glared at her and she returned it._

_"I will let go when you promise to shut your face! And you!" She hissed at Kili, who was still struggling not to laugh at the two in front of him, "you may not have a beard but I'll pull your bloody ears off if you don't shush!"_

_The beard comment made Kili go silent, his eyes narrowing at Druili. She knew exactly what to say to get him to shut up._

_Carefully, slowly, she and Fili released one another's braids and she signalled for them both to button their lips and come and listen to the door with her. Making room, she budged over and pressed herself carefully against the wood, joined now by her siblings who were very curious as to what it was she was listening to._

_For anyone that happened to walk by the house at that exact time, a strange sight would have greeted them: three dwarves, pressed against their front door, huddling together as they listened inside._

_Fili, who was now standing in between Druili and Kili, had scooted down to listen in and keep his face level with Druili._

_"So...what are we listening to?" He whispered melodramatically, pleased that she threw him an annoyed glare at breaking her concentration._

_"Thorin's back," she pointed at the door, "There was an issue with work and something about your grandfather ...I'm not ENTIRELY sure, but...there was a man he met. A Wizard called Gandalf and he told him about the battle for the mountain and...just listen," Druili stopped and shut her eyes, trying desperately to gain back the parts of the conversation she'd lost out on. Fili however, cast her a disparaging glance and straightened himself, done with keeping his voice quiet._

_"We're not children anymore, we can go in and-" he suddenly felt Kili's hands on his shoulders, just as Druili grabbed the front of his tunic, both of them pulling him back down._

_"SHH!" Was their joint, hushed command._

_Fili just rolled his eyes and thought, 'can't beat em', before pressing his ear back to the wood._

_"...take back your homeland," those were the first words everyone managed to make out, coming loud and clear from Thorin, "that is what he said to me."_

_"He knew you'd be there? At the tavern."_

_'Who?' Fili mouthed at Druili, who mouthed back, 'Gandalf.'_

_"He had been ambushed along Greenway. By a group of characters who carried a message ...written in black speech." Dis's gasp of disgust was heard clear as day._

_Kili's eyes widened and he looked at Druili, who paled and mouthed, 'Orcs?'_

_He nodded._

_"The message contained a promise of payment. For my own head," Thorin's heavy footsteps could be heard as he paced back and forth, "someone wants me dead."_

_"Who the bloody hell would want you dead? And after all this time?!" Dis sounded frustrated._

_"He said, as the heir to Durin, I am to unite the armies...to retake Erebor."_

_All three of them froze at that statement. Their heads swimming with the idea that the homeland they were entitled to could be theirs. _

_"He told me to summon a meeting with the seven families. That I should demand they stand by their oath."_

_"But, Thorin... that oath was sworn long ago. And it was sworn to the one who would wield the King's jewel. We don't have the Arkenstone, it's with the dragon, what right does he-"_

_"Wait. Please."_

_It was rare for Thorin to say please and it must have stunned Dis into silence, for he continued._

_"He offered his help to reclaim it... there is a possibility...we may be able to take back the Lonely Mountain and the Arkenstone."_

_"But...how? How does he expect to get it back when it's in the possession of a dragon?!"_

_"He mentioned something about a burglar. A Hobbit to be exact," suddenly, Thorin's footsteps approached the door, "before I tell you more, I must gather the others. I'll bring Balin and we can talk about this after supper."_

_When Thorin opened the door, he was greeted by ...nothing. Which was strange, because he could have sworn he heard something a moment ago._

_"When do the boys return from their hunt?" Thorin addressed Dis before he left._

_"They should be back soon, as should Dru," she was massaging her forehead, "this is going to be complicated to explain to them."_

_Little did either know..._

_A few moments earlier..._

_'GO, GO, GO!' Fili had mouthed frantically as he heard Thorin come to stand behind the door they were currently listening to. Druili had turned and ran first, Fili following and checking Kili was close behind. She turned the corner of their house and they followed quickly, both boys looking when they heard the door open._

_Unfortunately, as the two boys were checking on Thorin's movements, they didn't see Druili fall. They heard the yelp, but too late, as they both shuffled back and tripped over her._

_Tumbling down, Fili landing to the side and Kili half falling on top of her, they all suppressed their exclamations of pain, each taking a deep breath as they lay, perfectly still. Listening._

_The door closed again and Thorin's footsteps soon drew farther away, until they disappeared altogether. _

_Druili was the first to talk, her head coming up and covered in the mass of curls that fell from atop her head._

_"Kili...I think you broke something."_

_Kili rolled to his side and shimmied over, groaning at the pain in his backside._

_"No, I think it's just bruised."_

_"No, ME you daft lump!" She rolled herself over, accidentally falling into Fili. He shoved her back over._

_"Get off, Toad."_

_They all scrambled into a seated circle, Fili leaning against the wall of the house as he pondered what he just heard._

_"So...there's a chance that Erebor can be reclaimed," he licked his lips and gave a humourless laugh, "after all these years, believing in a fairytale ending doesn't seem so far fetched."_

_Kili sat across from him._

_"He wouldn't have told Mam had he not believed it himself," he furrowed his brow as he truly thought of these implications, "Back to the Mountain...Back to Erebor...our own land."_

_Druili glanced between both of them._

_"If Thorin gets the Arkenstone and the armies come," she wiped her nose on the back of her sleeve, trying to rid the grass that was stuck up there, "then there will be a battle? Surely, all the armies could take down one dragon...right?"_

_No one answered this. They all sat in silence, shifting around uncomfortably at the implications of such an event. _

_Then, Fili had a thought._

_"If word gets out, I can see Dwalin and Balin insisting on joining in," he smiled at the idea of the three of them just arguing over directions, "he'll need Balin for the directions alone. He's always getting lost."_

_Druili smiled with him, but wider as her eyes shimmered with a new idea._

_"If Thorin DOES go, he'll need a bigger company than just three people," she looked between Fili and Kili, "he'll need volunteers. A small group of people whom he knows and whom he can trust."_

_Kili suddenly realised what she was getting at._

_"Oh, of course," he looked directly at Fili, "do you think-"_

_"This means, we're going on-" Fili interrupted._

_"A quest! We're going on a bloody quest!" Druili's arms flew up over her head as her hands balled into fists and she punched towards the sky in a moment of victory. But whilst she looked joyous, Fili and Kili both threw her a look._

_"You're not going!" They said in unison and Druili scowled at them._

_"I bloody am," her arms came down and she gripped onto the tufts of grass in both her hands, "remember boys, WE have a deal. And I'd like to see Thorin try to stop me."_

_Fili couldn't help but smile and Kili actually had to agree with her on that statement._

_"True, nothing short of chaining you to the kitchen table would stop you coming," Kili dodged the swipe as she let go of the grass to hit him, "come on Dru, it probably won't be THAT exciting. What do you expect to happen on the way there? It's probably going to be very uneventful until we reach Erebor."_

And now...

"Kili, If we get out of this alive, I'll bloody kill you!" Druili panted as she ran, stumbling every now again as her feet caught roots, rabbit holes and the occasional rock, "'Not very exciting,' he said! 'Nothing eventful will happen until we reach Erebor,' he said! If Mam won't have your hide, I bloody will-"

"You can think about killing me later, right now, just bloody run!" Her brother was throwing looks over his shoulder, checking that they had no foe right on their heels.

They'd be running all morning. She'd seen the sun come up and illuminate the paths and ground they covered. She couldn't stop to appreciate any of the forests or the fields they passed through though, as on their tracks came the hunting pack of Orcs. Led by Azog to hunt them down and kill them.

"I bloody hate all this running!" She shouted out to no one in particular. Sometimes, it just felt good to complain. She stumbled again on a root, but righted herself and vowed to buy at least three new pairs of running boots at the next available town.

The howl that ripped through the air made every single one of the group freeze in place. Druili heard her heart beating loudly, the rhythm carrying to her ears and she knew, the running was only part of it.

Gandalf, not wanting to waste time directed everyone to keep moving.

Druili turned to her brothers and smiled.

"Come on," she faltered when she heard how her voice shook, "Come on, you slowpokes!"

Fili and Kili looked at her, both faces etched with concern.

"I'll outrun both of you. Last one there's a hedgehog's backside!" She turned away and darted through the trees with the others.

They both realised she was trying to lighten the mood in a desperate attempt to mask her fear. She'd been pretty shaken up after the original attack by Azog. They followed and soon caught up with her, Fili going faster and throwing her a grin.

"Come on, Toad!" He called out as she peeked at him, "you've gotten slow in your old age."

Kili was behind them and laughed as she called out, aghast.

"Shut it, Kili!" She felt him gaining up, "you're slower than me AND older!"

Their jovial banter continued as they ran through a field and she finally made out a large, walled-off house and garden.

She was distracted by the sight, from a familiar figure now overtaking her, Fili and soon, the others in front of them

"Bombur?!" Druili laughed as he ran by her, his large ladle clutched in his hand. In all this time, she knew he had that secret stash of energy hidden deep within him. She had a feeling that he was a man with many secret hidden talents, not just cooking and surviving a Goblin army.

As they all made their way into the garden, Druili winced as Bombur ran first into the closed door to the large house. And rebounded straight off of it and onto the floor. As the others began to pile against it, she observed their struggle and in her panic-addled brain, couldn't think of what to do to help. She moved back and pushed by the others, joining Gandalf at the gate just as Thorin and Bilbo came in.

"Gandalf, the door-" she stopped when a loud and ferocious growl tore through the air. She turned towards the forest she had just run from and there, running full pelt towards them, was the largest bear she had ever seen.

"Oh...Mahal."

Gandalf, having seen her seize up in a panic, grabbed her arm firmly and quickly steered her back towards the house. Propelling her around and forward, she finally joined everyone else in trying to open the door.

"Open the door!" Gandalf commanded and Thorin who had managed to push his way through lifted his hand up above the heads of the company and simply lifted the latch to the door.

"Of all the bloody-" she lost the last word as she was forced in by someone and everyone barrelled in. She had no time to register where exactly 'in' was before she turned back and tried to help the others close the door behind them.

Unfortunately, before they could get it closed, the large bear (or whatever the thing was, it was HUGE) stuck its head in the door, desperate to get in and feast upon their flesh. As the others pushed with all their might, Dru's instincts took over. Shoving her way through to the tiny gap, she pulled her arm back and landed the hardest punch on the nose of the beast.

She pulled back as it did, the door closing and everyone heaving a triumphant sigh.

"Oh, ow, bollocks," she shook her hand out, trying to get rid of the pain, "Oh...that's going to hurt later."

She pushed herself away from the door with the others and took in her surroundings. The house was more like a house that had been combined with a barn. Straw and hay littered the majority of the place and there were animals of different sizes and varieties. Druili liked it instantly.

"What is that?" Ori was still panting against the door, quickly being pulled away by his brother, for fear the creature might attempt a break-in.

"That is our host."

Everyone turned and stared at Gandalf liked he'd just admitted he could magic them into the Lonely Mountain all alone.

"His name is Beorn," he continued regardless of the stares, "And he's a skin-changer."

Nobody had anything to say to that, except Dru who purposefully went heavy on the sarcasm.

"Oh...that's fine then."

"Sometimes, he's a huge black bear. Sometimes he's a great strong man," he paused as if considering his next choice of words, "the bear is unpredictable...but the man can be reasoned with. However...he is not overly fond of Dwarves."

Exasperated, Druili quickly lost interest in the conversation and began to away from her kin.

"Are we ever going to find someone that actually likes us?" She muttered, more to herself as the others began to converse, some voicing stronger opinions about Skin-changers that she'd rather not hear.

She walked straight over to a great, horned beast that she remembered was an Ox (and not a bull as she first wanted to point out to the others). Carefully, she approached it though it didn't seem the least bit concerned or angered by her sudden appearance.

"Hello there, big boy...girl? Beastie," she stepped in front of it and carefully put her hand out to its mouth, "easy...I'm not going to hurt you."

She knew she was being overly cautious but at the same time, didn't want her fingers suddenly bitten off by a bad-tempered creature she was trying to make friends with.

Her fingers brushed the nose and snout of the ox and it actually leaned in, accepting her attention as she placed a light pressure there.

She admired how large their nose was in comparison to her teeny, tiny hand.

"Wow...I bet you'd like some nice hay...or carrots since you've got hay?" She began to stroke the Ox's snout up and down, gingerly flexing her fingers, "I don't know if you eat carrots. If you did, I'd like some. I'm very hungry and we just outran a bear-"

She was cut off by a purposeful cough behind her. She glanced over her shoulder, her hand staying on the Ox's snout and looked at Gloin and Oin.

Both males just stared at her to inquire as to what it was she was doing.

"What?" She threw them a smile, "some of the best conversations I've had have been with animals. It's a damn sight more intelligent than some of the stuff I've talked about with Kili or Fili."

_"Dru sweetheart is that you-BLOODY MAHAL?!" Dis dropped her basket of laundry in shock and jumped back, "DRU, GET THAT THING OFF OF MY TABLE!"_

_Druili, hastily scooping up the small white mouse she had placed in front of her atop of a once clean plate. Thinking quickly, she pulled aside the hem of her collar and dropped the mouse down there, her mother looking at her in horror._

_"Dru...What on EARTH are you doing with that thing?!" Dis couldn't move towards her daughter, knowing she was now harbouring a small creature down her dress. Her little legs swung happily on the high chair she sat upon and gave her mother an innocent smile._

_"It's my new friend Mam, I met Thomas today when I went for a walk!"_

_Dis pulled a long frown at seeing how completely unperturbed her youngest was being at being friends with something they generally kept AWAY from the house._

_"Dru, mice are not our friends," she calmly moved forward and bent low to being scooping up the washing that had escaped her basket, "I'd like you to go outside and put that thing back where it came from. Or, just anywhere that's not near here."_

_Druili's eyes widened and she gently pressed her hands to the small bulge that was moving about beneath her fabric._

_"I can't do that mum."_

_Dis, with the basket in her grasp, stood back up and arched her brow at her daughter._

_"You can and you will," Dis went to move forward but caught her daughter worrying her bottom lip between her teeth, "Oh Dru..what? Why can't you?"_

_"Thomas was being chased by a cat and it got him in its mouth and threw him and I picked him up and ran and," Druili took a deep breath in before continuing, "then the cat ran after me and I only just got in and now that cat is waiting and if I put Thomas outside Mam, he'll kill him!"_

_Dis sighed and shut her eyes, counting herself to ten to calm her nerves._

_"All right, but why is the mouse in here? Why can't you put it out the back way?"_

_Druili gave her mother an 'I just told you' look but told her again._

_"The cat's outside Mam. And it's MEAN. Did you not see it?"_

_Dis HAD seen a bushy tail as she turned the corner of the house, but thought nothing of it. She still didn't._

_"I'm sure it's-" She was interrupted as Kili came in the back from behind her, clutching his hand._

_"Mam, there's a bad-tempered cat outside the front door," he held up his hand and showed the three long red welts on the back of his hand, "little bugger got me when I went to pet it."_

_"Language," Dis sighed and shut her eyes, completely contradicting her last word when she said, "Bollocks...all right, Kili go get the bucket out from under the sink. Druili...get yourself and that thing ready."_

_A short while later..._

_As soon as her mother had given her the cue, Druili had darted out of the back door and ran all the way to the tree at the bottom of their yard. There was technically no wall or even a fence to separate the land from the vast fields outback, merely a makeshift line of rocks that they themselves had placed there._

_She crouched down behind the tree and carefully removed Thomas from her collar. He wiggled slightly as she placed him down onto the ground and didn't dart off as expected, but snuffled about as it explored its new surroundings._

_"Now, DON'T go to the Henderson house again. And if you ever come back, you can share some of my apple pie," she leant in close to whisper the next part, "'but don't tell Kili, because he'll want some too. And I DON'T share with boys."_

_Waving him goodbye, she got back up and quickly made her way to the front of the house, where she could see Dis with her broom held like a sword._

_"All gone?" She looked at her daughter who nodded, "very well, let's go give the good news to Kili."_

_Finding Kili, still seated upon the upturned bucket that was currently letting out loud hissing and mewling noises. They pulled him off and knocked the bucket over with the broom._

_"Away with you, you beast!" Dis pointed the brush end at the cat._

_The cat, however, less scared and more offended, turned tail and sauntered off in a haughty manner._

_"Mam," Kili was standing next to Druili, his hand bandaged with a hankie, "are you going to tell me what that was about?"_

_Dis, turning around and looking at her son, gave a sly, quick wink to Druili._

_"No need, just a mother doing her duty," she marched on by them both and back into the house, her broom now resting over her shoulder._

_Kili turned to Druili who was staring at the bucket as if it might jump up and reveal another cat hidden underneath._

_"Dru?"_

_She turned to her brother and gave him a wide-eyed look._

_"That cat were going to eat Thomas. Mam's a hero."_

_Tucking her hands into the pockets of her Mam's favourite dress, she turned away and followed her mother back into the house._

_Kili looked around utterly confused and turned back to the bucket._

_"...I suppose I'll just get this then?!"_

Druili moved away from the ox when the arguments seemed to have stopped among the group. Whilst there was still some tension, they seemed to be in agreement that they couldn't very well venture outside. Even if they got by their 'host', there was no telling how they would with an Orc pack hunting them.

She moved closer to Gandalf as the others begin to spread out, searching for food, places to sleep and possible weak points in the house.

"Get some sleep, all of you! You'll be safe here tonight," Gandalf's smile disappeared as he looked around and said the last bit quietly, "I hope."

Druili scowled and muttered low enough for him to hear.

"I heard that."

He did not respond.

A short time later...

It was impossible. Druili's eyes were still shut but she was no longer asleep. How could she be? Not only had it been an eventful day but her current sleeping partner was very close to her face and it was very distracting.

Cautiously, as if expecting him to be staring straight at her, she opened her eyes and gazed upon Thorin's sleeping face.

She'd chosen a comfy spot down in the hay, throwing down her tattered and borrowed coat and weapons, when Thorin had placed his sword next to hers. He had been on the other side of the room when she'd chosen that spot and had expected him to stay close by Gandalf and Bilbo, so it was a shock when he sat right next to her and looked up at her.

"Are you not sleeping?" He'd said as he began to lay down and made sure to spread out his cloak for his comfort. She hadn't been able to get any words out then, but nodded and turned around and began to sit.

She caught Fili and Kili's eyes across from her and they both gave her small, knowing nods for encouragement. She had started off merely laying on her back, but shifting throughout the evening had brought her to her normal side, her hands brought up and tucked into the side of her neck.

It had been a few hours later just after night had fallen when she'd opened her eyes groggily and been met with his features, his nose so close to hers she could feel his warm breath against her face.

And thus, when she'd tried to get back to sleep she found it impossible. So now, she took the opportunity to properly appreciate his sleeping face.

She'd always admired his handsome brow and nose but felt his permanent glower that had been directed at her from only a few weeks ago sort of spoiled the effect. But here he looked so peaceful. Calm.

Tentatively and carefully she moved a hand from under her head and reached for him. If he awoke to her touch, she'd feign that he had a piece of hay in his beard, but as her fingertips ever so softly landed and ran along his cheekbone and jawline, he did not wake.

His skin was rough and dry from being outside so long, but that didn't make him any less handsome to her. His skin was healing nicely from the scars that he had received on the night of Azog's first attack. But then again, he and she both had the same medicine and treatment on their continued travels and her back had almost completely healed from the marks left by the whips and the mace.

His cheek quivered slightly under her touch and she stopped her ministrations, not knowing if she was tickling him.

She pulled her hand away, not wanting to disturb him any farther and turned herself to lay on her back. Staring at the ceiling and the cobwebs that hung from the low beams, she was pleased to not see any spiders tonight.

She got herself up slowly and quietly and made her way around the house.

'_Might as well explore if you're not going to sleep.'_

She walked around the large table and benches that sat dusty in the centre of the room, a large and splendidly carved chair to the side.

She made her way into the kitchen and whilst she had barely eaten anything that day, she knew not to go looking for food that didn't rightfully belong to her or hadn't been offered by a host. Her mother had taught her well.

She saw movement on one of the sideboards and crouched low. In the night the small, white mice were illuminated beautifully as they scurried along, picking up small speckles of crumbs and crusts to munch on or take home to their families.

"Hello there," Dru put her hand out gently scratched ones back with her fingernail, "well aren't you a-"

The sudden, guttural groan from outside startled her. The others wouldn't have heard it in their sleeping state, but she did.

She jumped up and made her way quickly to the door, pressing herself against it and making sure it was still locked.

_'Bolt...lock...Okay, everything is in place.'_

She took a deep breath and made to step away from the door, but a slither of night seemed to have crept in through a crack in the door and she cautiously placed her eye against it.

Peering into the garden where the gates were still open, she'd expected to still see the bear prowling around and waiting for its opportunity.

What she saw made her pull away from the door so abruptly, she swore she felt whiplash in her neck. She stumbled away and quickly and (almost as quietly), laid down in her place as before and shut her eyes tight, willing sleep to come again and quickly.

Unfortunately, when she shut her eyes, all she could see was the image of a very tall, hairy and naked man, bathed in moonlight.


	2. A Mutual Agreement

C2: A mutual agreement~

Sleep had luckily come quickly to Druili, though her dreams had been filled with a lot more naked people than she would have liked. She could feel people stirring around her but refused to rouse when they began to talk, instead, choosing to bury herself farther into the hay, hoping to cover herself with it so as not to be disturbed.

So, when she felt someone approach her area and stop in front of her, she didn't really think anything of it. If it was important, they'd have shaken her awake or given her a kick if it'd been her brothers.

But the voice that rang in her ears was definitely not one of her brothers, nor anyone she knew that was currently in her company.

"There is another one here," they did not yell, nor did it actually sound angry but Druili nonetheless suddenly felt like she was being very intrusive in sleeping at its feet. She sat up abruptly and didn't even wipe the sleep from her eyes as she gazed up at the tall...The VERY TALL man that was standing in front of her, glowering down.

"Ah yes, that is Druili. Sister of Fili and Kili. Niece of Thorin," Gandalf called out from the table where everyone else was gathering, but Druili didn't take her eyes off of the tall man in front of her, "Dru, this is Beorn. Our host."

She gulped down the saliva that she had gathered in her mouth to try to rid herself of a dry tongue.

"Hello," she said as politely as she could muster, albeit shakily.

Beorn glared down at her.

"You're in the way of the bucket," he nodded his head to indicate her to look and sure enough, where she sat there was a small, upturned bucket that she was pretty sure she'd debated 'relieving' herself into during the night. Luckily, she'd found a privy hidden in an alcove.

She stood up quickly trying to pull bits of hay and straw off of herself, though she stepped aside whilst doing so, just wanting to let Beorn get to the bucket.

"Sorry," she hastily mumbled her apology and noticed her friend, The Ox staring at her. She distracted herself by turning to them and began to pet their nose and chin with both hands. She tried to casually look back at Beorn, but he had by that point gotten a goat over by the bucket and was kneeling as he began to milk the creature. His eyes may not have been on her, but he spoke the next few words to her.

"You did not come out with the others? Were you hiding from me?"

"No, I-I slept in. I awoke in the night when I heard a noise so I-I was catching up," she observed the man as he milked, noticing the broken chain around his wrist. That of which would have been worn by a prisoner. She felt a slight tickle on her arm and for the first time, noticed the small white mouse that had obviously attached itself to her as she slept.

"You can bloody wait for your pets," she whispered to the creature but looked back to find Beorn looking at her, before he continued to milk the goat.

"A noise?"

"Well, it was dark and-there'd been-there was-," she took a breath and felt her body heating up as she realised she'd have to tell the truth, "I-I just saw you last night."

"And what did you see?"

"A lot... You were ...very tall...and not dressed, so I-I didn't want to disturb you."

Beorn stopped his milking and for a moment, she thought he'd offended him. But he'd obviously had enough milk for breakfast now and stood up. He gave the goat a light pat on its rump, steering it into the other direction.

Druili saw her chance to maybe get into his good books.

"I can carry that bucket for you," she moved forward and grabbed the rope handle, smiling up at the man who was still looking at her, albeit curiously now.

As she lifted, she felt the resistance from the weight and tried again.

Nothing.

So, she grabbed the rope handle with both hands and pulled.

It barely shifted from off the ground.

She then looked up at Beorn and smiled awkwardly as she tried to pull it along.

"Well...it's heavier than I thought."

Now, Dwarves were built for strength and being able to weld and fight in battle. But Druili was being beaten by a mighty bucket of milk. And Beorn knew it too.

"Leave it," he simply stated and bending low, grabbed the rope handle for himself and pulling it up much easier than she had. Her hands came away like she had been burned, scared that if she held on for any longer, he might accidentally pick her up also.

"Sorry," she muttered as he began to walk away from her, but suddenly remembered something, "and, sorry... about the punch."

Beorn stopped in his tracks, grunted and then continued towards the dining area, where her friends were gathered and conversing. She supposed that was his way of saying it was alright.

She awkwardly shuffled about and turned to see the Ox, looking at her. She felt like she was being judged.

"Don't look at me like that, I'm not great with small talk."

After realising that she wouldn't get breakfast if she did not move, she quickly found her place between Fili and Kili, shoving them over as she clambered in the middle.

"Morning sleepyhead," Kili picked at his food and grinned at her, "enjoy your roll in the hay?"

He reached up and plucked some more straw out of her hair and she only scowled at him. She turned her attention back to the table and the plate in front of her. Her eyes grew at the sight of the freshly baked bread and a chunk of cheese the side of her fist. Her stomach growled in response and she began to dig in with earnest.

She'd only taken three bites when Fili placed a large tankard in front of him. She eagerly picked it up and took a long slurp, only stopping when Fili pulled it away.

"Slow down or I'll have to get more," he scolded her with a disapproving look, but she thought that was mostly because she'd stolen his drink.

"Sorry, mother," she shoved another bite of bread into her mouth and chewed it purposefully at his face.

"Quietly," his face was serious but his eyes danced with amusement and she just looked at him with the saddest expression she could muster.

"But I'm so hungry," her mouth was still full and tiny crumbs spat back out as she spoke and when one landed directly on his nose, she almost choked on her food at his displeased expression. He shook his head and gave up, turning his attention back to Beorn, who was going around the table and slowly filling up anyone's drinks that they had already emptied.

"So you are the one they call Oakenshield?" Beorn flicked his glance to Thorin quickly, then made his way around the table, "Tell me, why is Azog the defiler hunting you?"

"You know of Azog," Thorin, still lounging against a large wooden pillar, turned to Beorn, "how?"

Whilst Fili was distracted with the conversation, Druili sneakily absconded his plate of a large chunk of cheese.

"My people were the first to live in the mountains before the Orcs came down from the north. The defiler killed most of my family," Druili stopped chewing as she watched Beorn talk, "But some he enslaved."

She looked back at the chain on his wrist and swallowed the food in her mouth, suddenly feeling like she'd lost her appetite.

"Not for work, you understand but for sport."

Her anger began to grow with his words, her mind providing horrifying images. She'd gone from being terribly intimidated by this individual to wanting nothing more than to slaughter Azog for the crimes he had committed against him and his people.

"Caging skin-changers and torturing them seemed to amuse him."

Caught in the moment, she slammed her fist down on the table.

"Bloody Bastard!" She hissed, her eyes not leaving Beorn's. He didn't seem perturbed by her disturbance, but the company threw her a look as if to say, 'don't interrupt'.

She drew back and put her hands back against her plate.

"Sorry," she said quietly and looked back at Beorn, nodding at him, wanting him to continue but Bilbo got there first.

"There are others like you?"

Beorn paused for a moment, his eyes seeming to travel far away.

"Once there were many."

"And now?"

"Now there is only one."

Druili's heart clenched painfully in her chest and she wanted to go to him. Though, she managed to restrain herself because she was sure he wouldn't appreciate a hug from her. Or anyone to be exact.

Beorn took a seat in the beautifully carved chair yesterday and she'd been right. It was a perfect spot for him to look over everyone as they ate and listened to him.

"You need to reach the mountain before the last days of Autumn."

"Before Durin's Day falls, yes," Gandalf answered him.

"You are running out of time," he stated though there was no worry or concern in his voice.

"Which is why we must go through Mirkwood."

Beorn's eyes bore into Gandalf's at the mention of the name.

"A darkness lies upon that forest," it looked almost as though he were trying to warn them, "fell things creep beneath those trees. I would not venture there except in great need."

"We do have a great need though," Druili interjected looking over at Gandalf, but he chose to ignore her because he could see Beorn was worrying the company.

"We will take the Elven Road. That path is still safe."

Druili caught a movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned and saw Thorin pull away from the pillar as if contemplating all that he had been told. He turned his face away but she saw the taught lines in his clenched fists.

"'Safe?' The Wood Elves of Mirkwood are not like their kin," she glanced back over to Beorn as he continued the conversation with Gandalf, "They're less wise and more dangerous. But it matters not."

She heard Thorin move behind her, obviously still listening.

"What do you mean?" He demanded and Druili wanted to hear as well. What else stood in their path on the road to Erebor?

"These lands are crawling with Orcs. Their numbers are growing. And you are on foot."

Druili drew her elbows up onto the table and rubbed her face with her gloved hands, groaning with frustration.

"I feel really good about this quest now, Kili," she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her leg and turned to glare at him, "ow."

As Druili and Kili began to get into a sort of 'under the table war' with their legs, she didn't notice the small mouse that had been on her shoulder, scuttle off of her and onto the table for safety.

Beorn took that moment to stand back up and Druili, having forgotten for a moment just how tall he was, watched him duck down slightly to avoid a low and wooden beam. He placed his hand out as if to steady himself, but he sneered directly at Thorin.

"You will never reach the forest alive. I don't like Dwarves," he came to stand by the side of the table, next to Kili and looking at Thorin.

Having stopped the kicking, Kili turned back to look up at Beorn but saw the little white mouse scuttle over his arm. He swiped it off and away and Druili smacked him in the shoulder.

"Leave her, she just wants your crumbs," she glared at him, ignoring his scowl as she began to gather up whatever crumbs remained on her plate, scattering them on the table in front of her. Beorn continued as he watched her out of the corner of his eye.

"They're greedy and blind. Blind to the lives of those they deem lesser than their own."

Before the mouse could plunder all the crumbs that Druili had placed on the table, Beorn carefully plucked it up in his large, hairy and clawed hands.

"Careful!" Druili sat forward and watched, genuinely afraid he might accidentally crush the small creature, "please."

The corner of Beorn's mouth twitched as she looked between her and the mouse. Slowly, with the same hand in which he held the mouse, she watched his thumb carefully and gently stroke the creatures fur.

Beorn then looked back at Thorin, who was gazing at him curiously.

"But Orcs I hate more. What do you need?"

The company cheered and Thorin actually smiled up at the Skin-changer. Druili, having caught Beorn's attention again, offered her hands up and waited for her to put the mouse back into her palm. He dropped it a few centimetres from hers and she immediately began to stroke and pet the mouse with as much care as he had.

"Hello again," she gazed into the creatures small eyes, "sorry about my brother's rudeness, he's a great big lummox."

She didn't need to turn to look at Kili or Fili's bemused expressions.

That night...

When the small festivities had ended and planning had begun, some of the company had dispersed out amongst themselves. Balin, Thorin, Gandalf and Beorn were still around the table, organising supplies and ponies that they'd need. Some of the others had already settled in for the night, snoring loudly from the piles of hay over them. Others busied themselves in sharpening their weapons or just conversing about the last few days events and what awaited them.

Druili made her way to the front door, which was now unlocked and pulled the handle.

"Don't wander too far, Toad."

She threw a look over her shoulder, watching Kili smirking at her as he continued to sharpen his arrows.

"Yes, mother," she muttered to herself as she walked outside and shut the door behind her. The night was warm still and she was thankful she wouldn't need her coat for tonight. But she knew the time for Durin's Day was coming soon and the need for layers would be desperately wanted.

As she stopped by the large acorn tree that was growing in the garden, she looked up and out beyond the canopy and leaves. She leant against the bark of the tree as her eyes met the stars and she sighed.

"Oh Mam," she craned her neck to look up at the stars, "I hope you're seeing these now. I miss you."

She remembered a night from her childhood when her mother had swept her into her arms and walked with her outside to look at the stars as Thorin spent time with Fili and Kili.

She'd held her on her hip and danced with her, singing a tune with lyrics that Druili had learned until they were second nature to her.

Now as she pushed her way off of the tree, she began to hum the familiar tune to herself.

_"I was born in the Heather,_

_My sweet Northern land,_

_With a song in my ears,_

_And a lute in my hand._

_And I've travelled the plains,_

_Collecting the sounds,_

_And the stories of friends,_

_That I sing about now._

_And they call me the last of the bards,_

_When I open my lungs,_

_And I spill out my heart,_

_They call me the last of the bards,_

_When I sing my old fashioned songs,"_

Druili spread out her arms and shut her eyes as she whirled around slowly, something she'd enjoyed doing since she was a wee girl. Some nights and early mornings, she'd get up and go to her backyard to sing and dance by herself. But this morning, in the farmland of a man who could transform himself at will, she had not bothered to actually see if she was alone. She did not see the large figure, lurking in the door of his house, listening and watching her. She continued her song.

_"And I tried not to cry,_

_When I left my sweet home,_

_Where the old pipes were playing,_

_My favourite song._

_And I still hear it now,_

_On the cold Northern wind,_

_And I sing it aloud,_

_For the people I miss._

_And they call me the last of the bards,_

_When I open my lungs,_

_And I spill out my heart,_

_They call me the last of the bards,_

_When I sing my old fashioned songs."_

Beorn couldn't help but smile. Hidden by the shadows, he hadn't heard singing and joy and laughter in his house for so long. Other than the animals, he'd missed the sight of a female, 'frolicking' in the night, illuminated by the moon and stars. He had to admit, for a dwarf, she was a pretty thing to admire. And whilst her singing voice was not the most beautiful, nor the best he'd ever heard, she unabashedly sang from her heart and it filled him with joy. His heart clenched painfully at a reminder of lost loved ones from his past.

_"I was born in the heather,_

_In my sweet Northern land,_

_With a song in my ears,_

_And a lute in my hand._

_And I've travelled the plains,_

_Collecting the sounds,_

_And the stories of friends,_

_That I sing about now._

_And they call me the last of the bards,_

_When I open my lungs,_

_And I spill out my heart,_

_They call me the last of the bards,_

_When I sing my old fashioned songs."_

As Druili concluded, she gave a long bow to no one in particular.

"Thank you, my wonderful audience," she straightened herself and laughed, "to the wonderful night beasties, I salute you."

She laughed at herself and looked up one more time to the sky. Clasping her hands around her mouth, she hoped her voice would project and carry over the winds and lands.

"Mam! I'll see you soon! I promise!"

She shut her eyes and listened as the wind picked up. The air undulated around her and she took in a deep breath.

"I love you, Mam," she whispered the last bit, hoping that it would carry with her message along with the wind. Her hands dropped by her sides.

Opening her eyes and not really expecting a reply, she turned back towards the house. She thought it was odd that the door was now open for her, but suspected Kili had remembered her being outside and saw her coming in.

When she turned in and shut the door, she made straight for the pile of hay that was to be her bed again for the night. She didn't notice the eyes of the Skin-changer as he stood in the kitchen, secretly observing her.

Just before she got to her resting place, she stopped by the ox. She leant in, closer than before and wrapped her arms around its neck.

"And you be a good boy to him. I think...I think he needs good friends like you," she whispered and although she was sure the others in the company didn't hear her or at least, didn't care what she had to say to an Ox, she was sure that at the very least, Fili or Kili would end up teasing her rotten.

But she neglected to think about her host as she left the Ox and settled in the hay for her sleep.

Dwarves weren't the only ones with amazing hearing.

The next morning...

The company had gathered outside. They had new supplies, food and ponies in which to travel to Mirkwood. The ponies were not only needed, but Druili could barely contain her excitement.

She immediately picked her one, a colourful steed that seemed to be just as excited to be outside and surrounded by people.

"Hello," she looked up at his long nose and was rewarded with a quick shake of his head, "you're a handsome boy."

She leant in close as Beorn began to approach, whispering the next part to the horse.

"I know you've probably been fed already, but I'm sure I can abscond a carrot or two along the way," she leant back and began to talk normal again, "I think...you look like a Buttercup. But I can't call you Buttercup as well since the first horse I had here was a Buttercup...how about Buttercup II?"

Beorn stopped by the ponies side and glared down at her.

"He's a colt. And he says his name is Jack."

She looked between the horse and the man, frowning at her brilliant name being rejected. She looked at the horse and leant in, conspiratorially.

"Well...I'll call you Jack if you really want, but...I think you'd suit Buttercup. Give it a try for, ten minutes, see how it plays?"

She smiled at the lack of response, taking this as a good sign.

She turned back to Beorn.

"I...I'd like to say thank you," Druili held out her gloved hand as high as she could get it, "for everything. For the food, shelter, supplies and...not killing us. It was all greatly appreciated."

When his large hand reached out for her, it bypassed her hand and gripped her at the elbow. Her tiny hand held his wrist as he shook it once.

But instead of pulling away completely, he tugged her forward.

"Come here."

She stepped in closer to him, nervous as to why he would want her so close. Maybe he would hug her? The thought seemed highly unlikely.

When he seemed satisfied with her position, he released her arm. Both of his hands came out now and, surprising her completely, gripped her waist in both of his hands. Without a word of warning, he plucked her neatly off of the ground and quickly deposited her onto her pony. She barely had time to hold onto him and once she was seated, side saddle, she just stared at him.

"Urm...thank you?"

He gave her a brief and curt nod before moving away, heading back towards Gandalf. Druili shook her head in disbelief and swung her leg over the pony, catching the eye of Bombur who was seated next to her on his own pony.

"I don't know," she whispered to him and shrugged her shoulders. But when she turned back to look at Beorn, she could have sworn he was humming that very song she had been singing last night.

She didn't have time to think about it when Gandalf came over to join them and called the group out. She laughed with glee as her pony seemed to be thrilled by the idea of its very own adventure and attempted to take lead over the others.

"Steady on, boy!" She called out and managed to slow him down enough so that they could ride with her brothers.

Over the hills and far away, they travelled. The scenery quickly changed and the mountains came into view, as well as the forests. They were on their way again.

**AN~ **In which the song is again, by the wonderful Karliene, Link is here and I urge you to go listen to it. watch?v=NHwXy6_3Nvg


	3. Having it Out

C3: Having it out

As the day passed much swifter than they thought, they briefly stopped in a heavily wooded area. Time may be pressing, but Gandalf felt the horse and ponies needed a break. For once, Thorin agreed.

As everyone dismounted and began to spread out each taking their own jobs, Thorin quietly observed everybody.

Bofur and Bombur quickly began to hand out the food they'd prepared, not risking cooking anything whilst they knew Orcs were out here with them. Oin, Gloin, Nori and Balin were passing around pieces of parchment as if taking bets on how soon they would get to the Mountain. Ori sat by his pony, quickly scribbling something on his notes that he'd missed. Dori, Bofur and Dwalin rested their legs, not used to the sudden ride after walking and running for so long. Fili, Kili and Druili were taking the time to practice with their weapons, obviously making sure they were prepared for any sudden attack.

He felt a swell of pride as he watched the boys dodge moves and counter-attacks. He'd helped them practice and taught them all he knew, so watching them dance around one another so expertly filled him with great pride.

Ever since the battle, he'd made sure to pass on what he knew to his Sister's sons. He'd never married, nor bore any children with any Dam from the Mountains, so they were all he had.

He began to remember life when he'd left and become the King without a Mountain. Without a home.

They'd been welcomed into a new and safer life close to the Blue Mountains, but the overcrowding and lack of resources that they had brought with them, still meant work. Not just for him, but Dis.

She'd lost just as much as Thorin and more, her husband perishing in the battle alongside. And yet, she forged on. She'd gotten work as a seamstress and within a year, had successfully saved up enough to begin building upon a cottage that had been abandoned. It wasn't until he visited her, did he find out she'd built a cottage big enough for herself, her sons and even a couple of extra rooms for him and any others that came to stay.

He hadn't accounted on Druili's sudden appearance in their lives. Whilst it had been irksome at first, he admitted to himself he'd grown fond of the child. Dam's had been known for their fierce and fiery nature, ruling the house with an iron fist and from the first time she'd stood up to him at the riverside, he'd known just how much of a true Dwarrowdam she was.

She was also stubborn, hot-headed and troublesome. And he'd become very proud of her on this journey. She'd proven herself just as strong as the rest of them and willing to sacrifice herself for the others safety.

He watched her as she moved away, laughing at her brothers and quickly disappearing behind an outcrop of trees. He made his way over to his nephews.

"Where is your sister going?" He watched them continue, unperturbed by her wandering.

"She said we were getting in her way so she's going to train against a tree," Fili swung his sword out with a smirk, "she said it's safer and if she does damage to the tree, she wouldn't feel as bad."

"She also said the tree might have more brains than us and dodge her attacks easier," Kili turned to him with a grin, "but then she's probably just intimidated by us."

Thorin gave his nephew a soft smile.

"I'll go watch her," he glanced around at the company and back again, "and bring her back when it's time to leave. Don't forget to eat something."

They nodded at him and he turned away, following the path that Druili had gone.

He'd walked for a minute before the sounds of her grunts alerted him to where she was. He caught sight of her in a circle of trees, swinging her hammer before stopping herself and bringing it down heavily onto the ground below.

He stood for a while and watched her, having never been there for her training. He'd seen her fight the Orcs and Wargs, but could not appreciate her skill. She was good.

She'd been trained secretly by Dwalin and when he'd found out, he was furious. He'd asked his friend to stop immediately but Dwalin declined, defending her vehemently. Dwalin had obviously never spoken to her about skill, but he assured Thorin she was just as good as her brothers, if not better.

Thorin had scoffed at him and they hadn't talked for months until Dis had forced them to apologise and accept that Druili would be allowed to continue training, albeit separately from her brothers so that Thorin would never have to keep an eye on her.

And now he watched her with great interest. Her stance was good, her balance impeccable (which was a surprise as she was normally very clumsy) but her technique was what drew her apart from Dwalin. She'd learnt from him and took what he said at face value but being smaller and sprier, she could attack and defend easier.

Thorin cleared his throat as he began to move towards her, careful not to startle her. She turned around to him and for the briefest moment, looked like she'd been caught doing something she hadn't. He'd recognised that look many times from her childhood.

She gave him a small, shy smile.

"Hello Uncle," she lowered her hammer, "Is everything all right?"

He stood a few feet in front of her, his hands clasped behind his back.

"Everything is fine, I merely wanted to join you."

Druili blinked quickly in surprise.

"Oh."

His mouth twitched as he fought a smile and looked at her.

"Training hard?" He began to slowly circle her, knowing she might feel like prey. She refused to turn around with him though, merely glancing over her shoulders as they talked.

"Yep, gotta' keep the practice going," she chuckled to herself, "can't have those Dunderhead boys having all the fun out there, can I?"

She'd meant it to be rhetorical, but he answered her anyway.

"No, you can't," he came to stop in front of her again, "you're a part of this company and deserve a chance to fight alongside us. Pull your own weight and make sure those Dunderhead boys can keep up."

Druili's wide smile brought out his own and they both laughed as the awkwardness seemed to fade away, finally.

"Come," he took a step back from her and stood with her legs spaced evenly apart, "show me. I'd like to see."

Druili's startled expression lasted for a few seconds before she seemed to shake herself with excitement.

"All right!"

She quickly moved and began to practice all the techniques she knew. She threw punches, kicks and used her hammer as a makeshift crutch as she threw herself up and over it. She twirled elegantly through the air and landed on one knee, before making it out she was sweeping an enemies legs.

She continued on with a few more moves before spinning around and jutting her hammer out, stopping it only a few centimetres from Thorin's face.

She was pleased when he jolted ever so slightly in surprise.

She pulled it back and laid it over her shoulder, one hand on her hip as she allowed a touch of smugness to enter her tone.

"Call me awful all you want, I was bloody good."

Thorin's chuckle warmed her heart.

"It would appear...I underestimated you. You can hold your own," he approached her and came to stand in front of her, "Though, I do recommend you get a sword. Your hammer work can rival Dwalin's, but I think you would fair nicely."

He moved to unsheathe his sword, but Druili was distracted by his tender expression and words.

"Dwalin taught me. That's why I'm nearly as good as him."

Thorin gave her a small nod as his sword came out of his sheath and carefully gripped the blade as he held the handle out in front of her face. She tentatively put her hands on the sword, afraid he'd change his mind or that she might accidentally slip and cut him, but he pulled his hand away when the weight of the Orcrist was in her hands.

"I remember," he stepped back to where he'd been before, "show me some more moves."

She hadn't practised with a sword since before the journey had begun, Fili allowing her the use of one of his swords to practice. The weight of the sword felt alien and unusual to her, but she quickly got used to it.

She parried and pivoted perfectly, surprised at just how well she could handle a sword given to her. Instead of attempting to surprise Thorin again with a quick thrust to his face, she merely pretended to slash across his belly twice.

She moved back into a relaxed pose and let the sword fall to her side.

"Almost perfect," he came back over to her and stood behind her, "here. Let me show you."

His hands moved her into position, pulling her shoulders back gently until she had a better stance. He then gently grabbed her arm and guided it up until it was raised out in front of her, the sword pointing outwards.

"Your sword needs to be higher. If you want to strike across the chest and not the gut," he moved her arm with his hand, creating the 'slashing' pattern she had done earlier, "the sword is an extension of your arm."

He let go of her and stepped back, watching her attempt the move again on her own. Her back posture also seemed perfect and he couldn't find any more faults.

"I prefer the gut. Or lower." She turned to him and pointed the sword purposefully below his belt.

Thorin merely smirked and shook his head.

"You...You have so much of Dis in you."

He saw it for a moment. The briefest flicker of pain in her eyes. She lowered his sword and frowned at him.

"But I-I don't. She's not my mother," she sniffed and wiped the nose with the back of her hand as she tried to control her emotions, "as you know. As you've always known and always reminded me."

Thorin's mind filled with images of all the times he'd hurt her or said harsh words to her and he was filled with guilt and regret.

"Dru, I'm-"

She raised the sword back up and pointed it at him, her arm shaking as she did so.

"No. I think...I think I need to say these things to you. No, you...you don't get to justify your behaviour towards me. I was a child. I wanted a family and YOU...you made me fear to call her mother in front of you. You made me call my brothers COUSINS...because you were ashamed of me."

Her eyes begin to fill with tears, though he wasn't sure if it was sadness or rage she was building up.

He took a step forward and let the point of the blade connect with his chest, feeling it rest against his clothes.

"I was ashamed, but not of you. Never of you," he didn't take his eyes off of her as he began to explain, "I was ashamed that I couldn't care for you. I was ashamed of what my family name had become. I...I was selfish. And a coward. Another child to help raise, but...I rejected you instead. "

Druili's tears begin to pour down her cheeks, but she made no move to wipe them away.

"All I ever wanted was to be accepted by you. YOU. I can barely remember my real mother, but I remember her love...and I felt Dis's love the moment she picked me up from that stall. And Kili and Fili...they were there for me. I was so happy and grateful, but...YOU," she let go of the blade's handle and let it fall to the floor, choosing instead to pound her fists against his chest, "YOU. All I ever wanted was for you to say kind words to me. To not look at me like I was...like I was less than what I am. You are the only male in my life who I thought could-who I wanted to call-" her words cut off as she sobbed loudly, her hands suddenly grabbing the fabric of his coat as if she were trying to pull him close to head-butt him.

He looked down at her face and for the first time, realised that like Fili and Kili she too had seen him as the father they had lost. They had been told of their father by Dis and him, but Druili...she couldn't remember her father. And Thorin had been there to fill his place for her, but he rejected her. He'd rejected Fili and Kili, not knowing he was also rejecting her.

"I...I am truly sorry. I cannot ask for your forgiveness...only...a chance to begin anew."

She glared up at him through tears but another sob escaped her and she gripped onto his coat, pulling him close to her. Just as her head rested against his chest, he could make out her muffled reply.

"I'm still mad at you!"

He placed his hands on her shoulders and lowered his head to place a tentative kiss on top of her curls, the gesture seeming to make Druili cry some more.

One hand released his coat and wiped furiously at her nose and eyes, not caring if it stained her gloves.

"Don't...don't turn me away anymore. Please."

Thorin's chin rested atop of her head and he shut his eyes.

"No. No more."

They stood there for a few more minutes, Thorin waiting until her crying and sobs stopped. When she seemed to have control over herself, he pulled her back to look at him. One hand came off of her shoulder and cupped her chin between his thumb and finger, gently urging her to look right at him.

"Come," he gave her a soft smile, "show this old fool how to fight."

She sniffed and wiped away the rest of her tears and snot, Thorin not even grimacing as she left the remains behind on her glove.

Fili and Kili had eaten and come looking for Thorin and Druili, wondering if they'd killed one another yet.

"Five coins says she clocked him over the head accidentally and is hiding up a tree," Kili gave his brother a playful shove in the shoulder as they walked along.

"Ten coins says she managed to knock herself out and-" Fili was cut off by the sound of a sudden and guttural grunt from in front of them. They quickened their pace and saw the two they had come looking for.

Thorin and Druili had swapped back respective weapons and were duelling it out. She'd nearly swiped Thorin with her hammer, but he dodged successfully and was attempting to catch her off guard with his sword.

The thing that struck the boys the most, was their big smiles and sudden shouts of laughter mixed in with grunts of exertion.

As Druili landed a particularly hard blow at the ground, Thorin countered and using the hammer's weight to his advantage, kicked her back and held her at bay with his sword. She smiled up at him from her position on the ground and he quickly hoisted her back up, their hands staying connected as they laughed together.

Fili and Kili broke the moment by loudly applauding. Druili and Thorin both turned in surprise, having not expected to be interrupted.

Their hands dropped away from one another, but their smiles did not falter.

"Nicely done, little sister," Kili approached and clasped his hands together in front of him, "but you'll never take him out. He taught us everything he knows."

Druili arched a brow at him.

"Oh? Did he now?"

She turned to Thorin and shared a conspirational look which he seemed to understand. He turned to Kili.

"I taught you sufficiently," he glanced between him and Fili, trying to keep a straight face, "but every warrior has to hold back some secrets. That's the element of surprise."

Kili actually looked quite taken aback.

"Have you been holding out on us?" He sounded scandalized.

Druili stepped forward and positioned herself between her brothers and Thorin.

"I'm afraid that's all the time the King has for today," she shrugged her shoulders as if unable to fix the issue, "if you wish to discuss matters further, you'll have to give plenty of notice and book an appointment for...two weeks time?"

Fili had to turn away, hiding his smile and laugh behind a cough.

Kili just squinted and tried to look around her at Thorin.

"Come on, old man," he tried to goad Thorin with his usual cheeky boy demeanour, "tell us your secrets. Or are you going to let this...TOAD fight your battles for you?"

Druili licked her lips and readied her hammer.

"Oh...you want a fight, boys?" She swung it around easily, showing off the moves she'd just been practising, "well, as his bodyguard I must make it my duty to protect him."

Kili burst into uncontrollable laughter.

And Fili turned back, just in time to watch Druili skilfully duck down and kick his feet out from under him, Kili falling backwards hard onto the ground below. She stood back up and kept her hammer in both hands, ready for his expected return assault.

"Oi!" He abruptly sat up and scowled at her, before looking over at Fili, "well? Go on, we're a team!"

Fili rolled his eyes but decided to play along. He pulled out his swords and twirled them around, deciding that if she was going to show off, so was he.

"Two swords, one hammer," he signalled to Kili who had stood up and was dusting off his backside, "and you'll probably have to deal with him at some point also."

Druili took her time. She looked between her brothers and a sly grin crossed her features. Lowering her hammer, she gave Fili a playful wink.

"Is it time to switch sides?"

Fili's grin widened, but his expression changed as he glanced behind Druili and arched his brow.

Druili realised why when strong arms encircled her waist and she was quickly and unceremoniously pulled off of the ground and against a strong chest.

She felt Thorin's laughter as it rumbled through his chest before he let it out with his speech.

"Since this traitor is on your side I will take her as my hostage," he shifted her about until she was pulled around to his side, albeit still wiggling to get free, "Now how will you bargain for your beloved sister? She's in the hands of certain doom."

Kili turned to his brother and gave him a nod before turning back to Thorin. They both sheathed their weapons

"Get him."

Druili's wiggling concentration was broken at his tone of voice and from her sideways position, looked up in time to see the two running towards her and Thorin at full speed.

As they both threw their full weight on both Thorin and Druili, Fili's arms tried to grab her and pull her free. Unfortunately, in the tangled mess of trying to free her and tackle Thorin, they found themselves all sharing the same fate.

They fell to the ground, Thorin still laughing loudly as Druili landed to his side and Fili followed with half of his body covering hers. Kili had managed to fall free of the bundle, but he still fell awkwardly over an upturned tree root, landing with his feet almost in the air.

"Great idea, you two!" Druili cackled and pushed away at Fili who resisted at first and pretended to be a dead weight on her.

"Shut it, you troll," he made to move and stand up, purposefully pushing her into the ground and rubbing at her face his dirty glove. She merely tripped his feet up again and cackled as he grunted in frustration, his face falling back into her arm.

She remembered another time she had been called that and all three of them played together without any worries in the world...

_"I'm the troll under the bridge NOW! Pay up!" Druili yelled triumphantly but resisted punching the air in a victory since both her hands were occupied with her captive below her._

_She'd been wrestling Kili around the floor for the better part of an hour and she'd FINALLY managed to flip him onto his front, straddle his back AND grapple one of his arms behind him in a firm grip._

_"I'm the King of this land!" He began to wiggle anew, desperately trying to free himself, "You WILL obey me and-SHOVE OFF! YOU'RE HEAVY!"_

_Druili merely laughed and quickly flicked behind one of his ears before applying pressure back to his arm._

_"Nope!"_

_"FI?!" Kili turned his attention to his older brother, who was caught between watching the fight play out and reading his book. He glanced briefly at his brother with a smirk before his eyes went back to his current page._

_"Don't look at me, that troll got you fair and square."_

_Kili just gave a grunt and attempted to swing out with his free arm, but was distracted when he heard the front door close._

_"What in the name of Mahal?!"_

_Thorin had come in from the early festivities of the Winter Solstice outside. Singing and merriment could still be heard from neighbours houses as he closed the door on that world and entered his own. That's why, he was pleasantly surprised to find one of his nephews, nose deep in a book in his favourite chair and the other one, currently trying to escape from his younger 'cousin' as she had him pinned to the floor._

_"Uncle Thorin!" Druili gave him a bright smile, not expecting it to be returned. He arched his brow at her but gave a brief nod before looking down at Kili._

_"Well? What happened to you?" He felt his lips twitching when Kili swung out behind him with his free arm, missing Druili by miles._

_"I am the King!" Kili turned back to him, still trying to wriggle free, "And this TROLL here has imprisoned me for not paying taxes! But I'm the King and these are my lands!"_

_"My lands NOW!" Druili proceeded to rub this statement in by quickly lifting her backside off of Kili and bringing her weight back down on him, eliciting a grunt._

_Thorin seemed to take in this information with interest. He walked calmly forward until he stood a few feet before them._

_Druili and Kili stopped moving and just watched him, expecting him to tell them off and stop their childish behaviour. But he placed his arms around his back and clasped one hand in the other._

_"My lord," he looked down at Kili, "perhaps it would be in your best interests to find out what exactly it is that the troll would like?"_

_Kili blinked a couple of times before contemplating this. He then brought his hand around and gestured at Thorin._

_"Well, as my ROYAL advisor and wisest friend," he looked at Thorin as if he was stating the obvious, "I would assume YOU would do the talking for me. I am paying you after all!"_

_Thorin stopped himself from saying, 'No, you're not' but turned his gaze back to Druili._

_"Well," he schooled his features into utter politeness, "as the advisor to the King, how may we secure his release today? What is it you need?"_

_Druili sat back and confidentially let go of Kili's arm with one hand as she rubbed and stroked her beard. Ever since the river incident, it had grown back to a nice length. She pulled her hand away after thinking for a full minute and pointed straight at Thorin._

_"I require three whole apples-NO!" She put up two fingers and lifted her chin defiantly at Thorin, "THREE whole apple pies!"_

_Thorin thought he kept his features very neutral, but Druili could see his eyes warm and sparkle with merriment._

_"Well, that seems doable-"_

_"Wait!" He was cut off by another voice and everyone looked to Fili who was standing up from his seat. He'd decided to forego his book and join in on the role-play in front of him. He held out his book pointedly at Druili and arched his brow._

_"Not so fast! I'm the Bridge Guardian. You know, the bridge YOU live under? And you owe me a month's rent! Therefore, I'm afraid I'll have to confiscate those pies."_

_Druili looked scandalized, Kili began to laugh and Thorin released his hands to gesture at Fili._

_"Then, as Bridge guardian, I must urge you, sir, to immediately destroy your bridge."_

_"Oi!" Druili immediately stood up and placed her hands on her hips, her feet planted either side of Kili, "How DARE you! We had a deal-"_

_She was cut off when Kili, ceasing his moment, swiftly turned over and swiped her legs out from underneath her. She tumbled backwards with an 'oof!' sound and landed on her backside._

_"I'm free! The King is free! Long live the AHHH!" Kili had scrambled up on unsteady feet and made to run to Thorin for a celebratory hug, but Druili had quickly gotten up on bended knees and lunged forward, grappling at his waist._

_Thorin didn't have time to react as both the children's weight came into his legs and he fell down, just managing to catch himself so he was on one knee with Kili and Druili looking up at him. Both looked ready to start apologising, Druili's eyes filling with tears._

_But Thorin just burst out laughing._

_He laughed until they began to laugh with him, the pure joy echoing around the house. Even Fili had dropped his book and was clutching at his chair for support at the sheer stupidity of his siblings._

_"My King," Thorin managed to get out as he looked down at Kili, "this is most undignified behaviour!"_

_Kili, who was still scrambling around with Druili attached to his waist, looked up at Thorin in faux shock._

_"I will not be spoken to like that! As the king," he looked between Druili and Fili, pointing at both of them, "I command the troll and the bridge guardian to take my former adviser prisoner! Get him!"_

_When Dis came in from outside still clutching the basket of laundry, she stopped in the doorway to her little cottage, unable to move at the sight before her. She had never seen her brother and all her children have so much fun together._

_Thorin was standing, with Kili tucked under one arm against his side, Fili with his arms and legs wrapped around him from the back and Druili was holding onto one of his legs. Everyone was laughing._

_Soon unable to control it anymore, Dis stepped through and joined in the laughter. Thorin turned to her with a playful glint in his eye. He managed to hobble until he stood before her and looked down at her, still laughing._

_"You have a SERIOUS troll problem, madam!"_

_The sound of laughter echoed around the small house and just for the night, just for that moment, there was no wall built up between any of them._

"Oh, get off!" Druili cackled and eventually managed to shove Fili off of her completely, quickly rolling in to tuck herself against Thorin's side.

He looked at her with a smile.

"Come on, I think it's time we get back to the company," she decided to break the moment up first, knowing that it had to end eventually, "our journey awaits, my King."

As they pulled one another up and righted their clothes and weapons, Thorin took the time to walk back with Druili, his hand resting on her shoulder and briefly squeezing it. She rewarded him with a nod and a smile, everything finally being out and open. All was well.

Finally, after Thorin had spurred the company on and they had all departed on their ponies from the wood, they travelled for a few hours more.

Eventually, with Gandalf and Thorin leading the way, they came across a field that met a thick tundra of trees. The party slowed and came to stand a ways back from it.

Druili's eyes searched the landscape and sure enough, as she'd first suspected when she spotted a large shape following them, the Bear beast was watching them. The travelling would not have been an issue for him at all. She gave him a small, shy wave not really expecting anything back.

"Set the ponies loose," Gandalf's voice called out to everyone, "Let them return to their master."

When they all clambered down and prepared their packs and supplies, Druili took the time to give her pony a proper goodbye. She placed her forehead against his long nose and sighed.

"Goodbye Buttercup."

The pony shook his head a couple of times and she could only laugh.

"All right, Jack," she felt his nose wander and began to nuzzle her stomach, seeing him sniff out her pouch, "I know, it smells of delicious apples. But alas, no apples remain. Nothing except for-Jack, you're a genius!"

She pulled back and quickly opened her pouch, diving in and pulling out the garments she had completely forgotten about since Rivendell.

"I DON'T BLOODY BELIEVE IT!" She exclaimed so loudly and suddenly that Fili came over to her and looked at her with concern.

"What?! What's wrong?"

Druili held the clothes in her hand and waved them around, her frustration evident as she groaned in annoyance at her own stupidity.

"After all that hassle and your huge tunic, I forgot I bloody well had this!" She stuffed them back into her pouch, finding no need to change into the items now, "I only just remembered and it's all thanks to Jack."

She turned back to her horse and gave his nose a big kiss. Fili just shook his head and marched off, exasperated by how strange his sister was.

She gave Jack one last big hug before stepping away and signalling for him to go.

He turned and began to gallop away with his kin.

"BYE JACK!" Druili shouted as she waved them off.

"Not my Horse! I need it!" She turned around at Gandalf's almost frantic voice. He came out of the Elven Gate in a hurry.

Druili began to gather around the party who looked just as confused as everyone else.

"You're not leaving us?" Bilbo looked almost like he was accusing Gandalf of something heinous.

"I would not do this unless I had to," for a moment, to Druili, it sounded like he had something to do that he'd rather not do at all.

Gandalf leant closer to Bilbo and Druili knew that whatever moment the two were having, they deserved their privacy.

She felt a large splash on her nose and turned her head skywards to see the rain come petering down.

"Ah Bollocks, rain again," she folded her arms over her chest and looked at Fili. He waited for a few moments before realising what it was she wanted.

"I'm not lending you my jacket this time. You got it covered with chicken broth two weeks ago!"

Druili looked around the group, who all pretended to be terribly interested in something else that wasn't in her direction. She caught Bofur's wink from the back and turned back to Fili with a smirk.

"I mean, I'm sure Bofur has room for two in his jacket."

She turned around with the intent to snuggle into Bofur for warmth but collided with Thorin's chest. She looked up at his dark and grim face and thought better of it.

She turned back around and opened her arms out, embracing the water as it fell.

"Or, I'll just- you know. I actually LIKE the rain. It's very refreshing."

She slapped out at Fili when he snorted beside her.

Finally, Gandalf turned back to address them all.

"I'll be waiting for you at the overlook, before the slopes of Erebor."

Druili took a breath and held it in as she processed that information. Gandalf would be there when they got to the Lonely Mountain. It seemed so far away and yet...it was closer now to them than it had been before.

"Keep the map and key safe."

Druili raised her hand out as if she was asking a teacher a question.

"Can I have it?"

"Where would you put it? Your pouch isn't ideal," Fili poked the pouch the was slung around her side, testing the flimsiness of the material.

"A woman has her," she paused thoughtfully, wondering if she should let Fili and Kili in on her hiding place, "secrets."

"And they are?" Kili asked, seeming genuinely interested. But Druili thought better of blabbing.

"Well, if I told you, it wouldn't be a bloody secret."

Gandalf had merely shaken his head at the exchange, a smile tugging at his lips. He came to stand in front of Thorin and his expression became very stern.

"Do not enter that mountain without me."

As he turned to mount his horse, Druili noticed the pointed look Thorin threw at Balin.

"If he thinks we're going to wait around for him when there's a chance to get into that mountain quickly," Druili muttered quietly, more to herself than to the others, "then he's going to be sorely disappointed."


	4. Dizzy Spells

C4: Dizzy Spells

Before Gandalf had set away, he had warned them all about the forest and what lurked inside. They must not drink the water from the enchanted stream. They could only cross using the stone bridge. The air itself would lead them astray. And he'd stressed the last one with so much firmness, Druili felt like he'd tattooed it onto her forehead.

_'Stay on the path. Do not leave it. For if they did, they'd never find it again.'_

When he had galloped off, Druili had shared a sad look with Bilbo. The first time they'd left him behind at Rivendell, she'd had a feeling he'd catch up with them eventually.

But now, she wasn't so sure. Would he really meet them when they reached Erebor?

And just how long would it be?

These thoughts and questions fled her mind the moment she entered Mirkwood and her feet connected with the path they were to follow.

She stopped and shuddered involuntarily.

"Are you all right?" Bilbo's hand came to rest on her forearm and he looked very concerned.

"Yes, I'm-I'm fine," she shook herself and looked around her, "just...that was weird. Did you feel anything?"

Bilbo understood what she meant and nodded.

"This place...feels like death."

Druili knew he hadn't quite meant to sound so dire, even though he was quite right. This place didn't breath or move like other woods or forests.

The trees themselves enclosed around them and she felt suffocated. But she continued. She followed the others along the path and pulled Bilbo to walk alongside her.

She could feel herself steadily growing worse the farther they walked and turned to The Hobbit.

"So, Mr Baggins," she gave him a forced cheery smile, "since this is your first adventure, how are you handling it?"

Bilbo returned her smile and knew what she was trying to do. As they walked along into the wood, Bilbo talked about everything he possibly could. Everything within The Shire was small and warm and Druili craved a home life like that. He talked about his mother, his father, his vast cousins and even festivals and celebrations in the shire.

Druili felt warmed by his words almost losing herself when he described a race they held every year where, contenders would stand at the top of the largest hill, roll down a large chunk of cheese and run after it.

"And the one that makes it to the bottom with the cheese unscathed is the winner!" Bilbo stopped talking long enough to look at Druili, who was gazing quizzically at him.

"Wait, the cheese or the person?"

"The person, Toad," Fili called out behind them and she turned and scowled at him. When she looked back at Bilbo, she hopped forward two paces to garner some distance between herself and her brothers.

"Why do they call you Toad?" The question was out before Bilbo could stop himself. Luckily, rather than seeming angry, Druili just sighed and groaned.

"They made me kiss a toad."

Bilbo turned around to where Fili and Kili could still hear them, both wearing large, lopsided grins.

"We didn't MAKE you," Fili pointed out before his brother continued.

"You were very eager to kiss it."

"You said if I didn't kiss it, then it'd turn into a handsome prince and come take me away to a castle," she began to walk her feet backwards to address them, "I was twelve and TERRIFIED. You lot would have gone mental losing your precious female. Mam would have had your hide."

Bilbo had remembered something he'd heard in passing.

"Is it-is it true that girls aren't very...rare?" He lowered his voice, just encase he caused offence to anyone else in the group who might mistake his words, "I mean, I heard that there are fewer girls than there are boys."

Druili waited for him to catch up before turning back and walking normally. She leant in a little closer so Kili and Fili wouldn't interrupt anymore.

"It's true. We are a very rare and mysterious creature. You should meet some of the noble ladies. Smug as you like and spoiled rotten since birth."

Bilbo looked at her.

"But you're not smug or spoiled at all," he cleared his throat and felt a small blush coming on, "you're in fact, rather lovely."

Druili snorted and nudged him with her elbow.

"Thank you, Bilbo," she lowered her voice even more until it was almost a whisper, "and no. I'm not like those cows. I mean...I was probably spoiled when I was a babe, but because they don't know where I'm from or who my family were, I'm not really noteworthy or much cause for celebration," She let out a fake gasp and slapped her cheek lightly with one hand in feigned surprise.

"I could be a harbinger of destruction, sent down by Mahal themselves."

Bilbo just laughed at her, Druili breaking character as they marched along.

"What do you remember about your parents?" He felt that after everything they had gone through, he could pry a little bit into her life since she'd asked so much about him.

Druili contemplated for a moment before answering.

"My Pa? Not a jot. For all I knew, I really did pop out of the ground and mother found me," she gave a sad laugh as he expression dropped, "But ma...I can remember her crying a lot. I remember..." She dawdled off and Bilbo could see her struggling to remember.

"Don't strain yourself."

She tilted her head to him and smiled at his concern.

"I remember a few times when we played and laughed together, but the last time we saw one another...she was being taken away. But she wasn't awake...I think she had died in her sleep, I-I don't know if she was sick for a long time. I just...I remember holding onto her hand and trying to go with her, but this bastard of a man just...plucked me off and dumped me in the house, but I followed."

Bilbo felt his stomach drop.

"I lost sight of them after a while and just...kept walking. Hoping I'd find them. No one came to me. No one...No one made to see if I was alright. I had no food and nothing from my house and I just left. I wandered a short distance and found myself in that town. I was so hungry that I walked straight up to a table just covered with fruit and bread and started eating. That was then that man found me."

She shuddered and her expression tightened, Bilbo, knowing she had anger bubbling underneath the surface of her skin.

"What happened?"

"He had me there, tied up behind his stall for days. Kept pointing me out to people and other children, saying how he was making an example of a thief. I only survived when he'd drop a scrap of something and didn't notice. If he did, he'd just...he'd grab one of his leather gloves and smack me around the head with it. Saying how I hadn't worked off my crime. Then...he started using his broom at night. He never hit my face or hands, only where he knew the bruises would be hidden."

Druili quickly glanced over her shoulder, but Fili and Kili seemed to be in deep conversation with one another about something and she looked back at Bilbo.

"He left me one day, like a weird guard dog on the stall. And then...out of the blue, this little boy stopped to look at me. And I just remember thinking...what a beautiful face. I thought he was a fairy. He was looking at me with just...such curiosity. And he came around, brazen as you like and just started talking to me. This sweet, beautiful boy, talking to someone who hadn't had a wash in...days? Weeks? He cleaned my face, talked to me and promised to help me."

She leant in towards Bilbo but did not bother to lower her voice, still believing Fili and Kili were talking.

"Don't tell him I said this but...he has always been charming. It's just in his nature."

She was surprised by a sudden pair of arms encircling her waist, pinning her arms down to her sides and hugging her tight.

"That's the nicest thing you've ever said, Piglet," Kili lifted her until her tip-toes were off the ground and began to kiss the back of her head. She was still too shocked to do anything, that is until Bilbo said, "Piglet?!"

She immediately began to kick her legs out and struggle in his grip.

"YOU SWORE YOU'D NEVER CALL ME THAT AGAIN WHEN WE'RE IN PUBLIC!" She took deep breaths and tried to turn around in his arms, "I didn't mean a word of it. You're not beautiful, or sweet or charming, STOP KISSING ME. FILI, SAVE ME!"

Fili merely sauntered by and pretended not to hear her. Fortunately for her, her legs were still loose, so she managed to wrap her appendages around his waist and hold on. He tried to tug himself free and Kili was so busy laughing and hugging Druili, that they completely ignored the company who had turned and were now staring at them.

"You bloody dunderheads, drop me!" She struggled more and whilst she was insisting that they both dropped her, she would not relinquish her hold on Fili until he helped.

"Get off, Toad!" He attempted to pry her legs away, but every time he managed to disentangle himself from one, she'd just put the other one higher.

"Keep telling me how charming I am!" Kili laughed as Druili managed to free one of her arms and tried to pull away and slap at his other arm at the same time.

"Come along you three."

They all looked at Thorin, who was standing at the front of the company.

"The day is wasting and they'll be time for festivities when we're out of this wood."

Druili let go of Fili, who grumbled his thanks and elbowed herself out of Kili's grip, his hands slipping off of her.

The merriment they had felt soon dissipated as they ventured into the wood, and even the odd conversation couldn't distract them from everything going on around them.

They walked some more until the sky had almost vanished from overhead. The dense canopy was so thick, that every time Druili looked up, she had to squint to see even the slightest breach of light through the leaves and branches.

"Air. I need air," Bofur suddenly gasped ahead of her and she called out to him.

"Bofur, we're in a forest, there's plenty of air. That's how everything is alive," even as she finished that statement, she remembered how dead everything looked.

"My, head, it's swimming!" Oin said from further affront, and Druili watched him sway on unsteady feet.

For some reason, she began to shudder again. But her tremors didn't just leave after a couple of seconds. The continued to rack her body, even after she wrapped her arms around herself and attempted to warm herself up.

Fili slowed down and looked over his shoulder at her, beads of sweat plastered on his forehead.

"Are you all right?"

Druili shook her head and found that she couldn't bring herself to smile. She was physically unable to smile with everything that was happening.

"I'm not-I'm fine, I just-" She shut her eyes briefly, squinting tightly and trying to remember something.

She felt a weight over her shoulders and opened her eyes again to see Thorin was standing in front of her. She looked over her shoulder and saw his coat draped across her, the fur rubbing at the side of her face.

"You're not well," he called her attention back to him.

Druili merely shook her head.

"It's this place," he continued, "but we have to go on. It's hard, but you think you can cope?"

She nodded up at him and pulled his coat closer to her. He turned away and walked back to the front of the company and Druili admired the man who always seemed to know what was wrong with her, even without her saying anything

_"Thorin, take her," Dis whispered to her brother as she shifted around in her seat to get comfy, "you have her on your knee and Kili will go on mine."_

_Thorin who would have normally protested loudly to this but allowed the small girl to clamber up onto his knee as they sat, the long benches pretty squashed tight today._

_It was the festival of remembrance and it was a very solemn event, especially for those of the kingdom of Erebor. They had come today to the temple to pray and remember not only their dead but the home they had lost._

_Thorin himself felt the weight of the loss of each individual weigh heavily upon him, though he knew that most would disregard this notion that he was somehow to blame._

_His attention shifted when Druili fidgeted again on his knee._

_"Child," he leant forward to whisper into her ear, "stop squirming around and pay attention."_

_But Druili didn't stop. She squirmed once more and looked over her shoulder at him._

_He sighed and pulled her closer to him, turning her in the process so she was sitting on his thigh._

_"There, better?"_

_Druili didn't answer. She kept her head bowed low and her hair obscured her face. Thorin felt a slight tinge of frustration and tried to keep his voice even._

_"What is the matter?"_

_Slowly and with what he saw as great difficulty, she raised her head and turned to face him. Her eyes were watery, but no tears fell. Her smile was gone and her expression even made him sad._

_"Are you tired?"_

_She nodded slowly._

_Thorin looked down at her and nodded in return._

_"Then you may rest."_

_Not knowing if he was doing the right thing, he placed his hand onto the back of her hair and guided her head towards him. She tucked her face against his neck and he immediately felt her temperature against his own skin. He hadn't had a chance to remove his own coat when inside the temple, but even then whilst he was still warm, her skin felt like it was on fire._

_His other hand came up and around her back as he turned to his sister._

_"Dis."_

_Dis turned to her brother at his soft tone, but his brow was furrowed and he looked worried._

_"What's wrong?" She whispered back to him and he quickly indicated to Druili._

_"She's not well. Feel her temperature."_

_Dis, moving Kili with one hand so he was leaning towards Fili from his position on the edge of her knee, wrapped her cold fingers around the back of Druili's neck and Thorin saw her eyes widen in horror._

_She pulled away and made Kili stand up, before turning to Fili._

_"Come on boys, we have to leave."_

_She turned back to Thorin and signalled for him to move._

_As they all shifted outside, Thorin held Druili in a way that Dis could look and inspect her. She placed her hands on the little girl's cheeks and forehead again, making her open her mouth to see inside._

_"What's wrong?" Fili moved forward and held his brother's hand._

_"I think Dru has a bug, boys," Dis tenderly stroked her daughter's cheek when the girl remained expressionless at all the poking's and prodding's, "Fi, run down and fetch some supplies to make some chicken broth with Ki whilst we get her home, all right? Penny should have some on her stall."_

_The two boys went off in one direction will Dis and Thorin went in the other. Dis had attempted to remove Druili from Thorin's arms, but he'd declined, saying it would be quicker for him to carry her home._

Druili hadn't slept, but she remembered that hazy day well. He'd laid her on her bed and he and Dis wandered around, fetching items from everywhere before the healer came to join them. It hadn't been a bad case of flu, but Thorin having spotted it first, had been told by the healer that if it had gotten worse the outcome would have been grim, as many young Dwarf children had been affected that month. Druili did manage a small smile at that memory. He had held her with such concern.

She snuggled deeper into his coat at the memory and continued walking.

It hadn't taken long before she shrugged the jacket back off and passed it to Thorin. She was now hot and sticky and sure he wouldn't appreciate her stinking up his coat.

Her head was starting to spin and she felt tired. It was like her brain was covered in thick layers of candy floss and the more she tried to shake it off, the sicker she felt.

Luckily, after going through a particularly thick patch of trees that almost swarmed them in darkness, it began to get light again.

"We found the bridge," Kili's voice called out from the front of the group. Druili made her way around and leant against a tree as she watched everyone pile on.

"Bollocks," she groaned out loud when she took in the appearance of said 'bridge'. Obviously, at some point in its long life, either it had simply crumbled away in the middle OR something large and heavy had fallen directly on top of it. Maybe it got blown up by a powerful blast of magic?

Either way, what they had in front of them was a bridge short of a bridge.

"We could try and swim it?" Bofur said from his point at the edge, standing behind Bilbo as they gazed across to the other side.

"We toss one another?" Druili pushed herself away from the tree trunk and staggered over, almost regretting that decision when her stomach lurched.

She staggered into the back of Fili, her head resting against one of his shoulder blades.

"Then what about the last person across?" He cocked his head to address her. Her mumbled reply just had him shaking his head.

"It's hard to think when there are cobwebs in your head."

"Didn't you hear what Gandalf said? A dark magic lies upon this forest. The waters of this stream are enchanted," Thorin seemed to be struggling himself. He almost sounded upset.

"Doesn't look very enchanting to me."

"Haha, Bofur," Druili drew her head back up and turned away, walking the short distance past the group and by Thorin who continued to speak as if he was struggling with head cobwebs of his own.

"We must find another way across."

Druili shoved Dwalin aside when he didn't see her coming and immediately fell to her knees behind him. He turned around and placed his strong hand across her back, but she waved him off.

"No, no, leave me for a second, I'm going to be sick and you don't want to be here for that," she tried to take in deep and slow breaths, but she felt worse with every deep inhale she took through her nose, the smell of the place causing her stomach to turn about.

She could hear everyone shuffling around in the distance behind her and remembered Fili and Kili inspecting the vines, when the younger called out.

"These vines look strong enough."

"Kili!"

Thorin's bark drew her attention and she turned so sharply that she swore she felt her brain move about in her head. It was not pleasant.

"We send the lightest first," her Uncle told him and Druili groaned and shut her eyes.

"That's me," she turned around, still on her knees and began to crawl forward, pushing her through the sea of thick legs.

"Excuse me, pardon," she got as far as Bofur before she held onto his leg and tried to pull herself up, "my legs feel like jelly."

Bofur happily picked her up, slipping his arm around her waist to steady her but unfortunately, he then had to break the news to her.

"Actually lass, Thorin wasn't talking about you."

Druili followed his gaze and realised that everyone else was looking expectantly at a disgruntled Bilbo.

She pouted.

"I feel like we shouldn't make any comments about my weight," she nodded at Bilbo, "good luck, try not to drown."

Suddenly, with more speed than she thought possible, she shoved Bofur aside, turned herself over and bent her top half over the side of the bridge just in time, as she lost the majority of her lunch.

Druili knew she was missing Bilbo cross over to the other side. She also knew that if she didn't get a move on, she'd miss out on watching the others cross and she really wanted to see Bombur and Dwalin attempt to cross the vines carefully and delicately.

She was however preoccupied with emptying her stomach still.

She heard a loud shuffle behind her but did not turn as she heaved again, nothing coming up. She'd lost a good majority of bread, ham, cheese and milk, so she just hoped that her breakfast had already digested.

After a few shaky breaths, she felt the person behind her place their hand on her back.

"Are you all right, lass?" Dwalin's gruff tones were edged with concern.

She tried to push herself back up, but her legs had fallen asleep. She threw out her hand and tried to communicate with a series of hand gestures as she felt that pull again at her stomach.

Dwalin didn't seem to understand, but they both knew they had to move.

Quickly and dizzying her beyond all belief, she suddenly found herself hoisted up and over Dwalin's shoulder. But instead of putting up a fight, she merely allowed herself to droop completely, draping him like a cloak.

"Are you done yet?" He marched her over to where the group was starting to climb the vines.

When she raised her head to answer, she merely heaved again and gripped the back of his coat.

"I take that as a no," he huffed as if exasperated, "just try no' to hit my feet."

He put her down again and she felt the ground tilt beneath her and had it not been for Thorin's sudden grasp on her arms, she would have surely embraced the ground with her face.

He shook her gently and in a moment of clarity, she saw his hand raise out to the side and she growled.

"Don't hit me, or I'll tell Mam."

Thorin arched a brow and even in this dire situation, managed a small smirk.

"You have to cross," he dropped his hand from hitting her but held onto her shoulder with the other, "we cannot carry you."

She nodded and when he released his firm grip, steadied herself. She staggered along and gripped the first vine in her hand.

"No big thing," she took a deep breath in through her mouth this time and let it out in a puff, "just like climbing a tree."

Unfortunately, it wasn't like climbing a tree. Whilst the branches she had clambered along, swung from and dangled on had always been sturdy enough for her to hang onto, the vines were not.

She slipped, tripped and like everyone else, struggled to maintain her balance as she made her way across. She felt the power of the place sweep over her, lulling her to sleep, but lucky for her the sweat upon her brow began to run into her eyes and the stinging sensation helped her to concentrate on staying awake.

For what felt like hours, she shimmied her way slowly across to the other side and finally, after one big leap made it.

Thorin and Bilbo were waiting for her and having caught her once today, Thorin seemed to be making a new habit as he caught her on the embankment.

Strangely, now she was on even ground and not swinging back and forth on the vines, she found herself feeling sick again.

"Can you stand?" Thorin helped her right herself, his hands holding her wrists.

Druili couldn't answer him. She nodded, pushed him away and turned back to the water, dry heaving again.

_'Please stay down, please stay down,'_ she repeated in her head, pleading with her breakfast to stay down. They had limited food supply and she didn't really want to scoff anything to keep her energy up.

Finally, after a few quiet moments, the sickness subsided and she stood up straight, her eyes shut as she took a deep, shaky breath.

Her attention was drawn back behind her by a distant shuffling and turned away from the waters towards Bilbo and Thorin. A few yards in front of them, appearing from seemingly out of nowhere, a white elk came into view.

If she hadn't been so hoarse from the vomiting and heaving, she would have exclaimed at the beautiful creature.

She took an uncertain step forward, steadying herself when she seemed to struggle with even that and caught Thorin's movement out of the corner of her eye.

He had his arrow removed from his quiver and placed it in his bow. He pulled the end taut in his hand and slowly, raised it up towards the creature so not to startle it.

Druili grabbed the back of his jacket and shook her head, but he ignored her.

"Stop," she whispered, but she might as well not have said anything at all as she was so quiet she barely heard herself.

She turned to Bilbo, who had heard the bowstring pulled tautly and watched him eye Thorin with the same confused expression.

"What are you doing?" She heard him say, but her head was still spinning and it sounded like he was talking from another room.

All three suddenly snapped to the attention of the Elk in front of them, but it had not moved or made a loud noise.

At least, no natural noise. Its deep exhale through its snout seemed louder and louder as it stared them down.

She felt like she was being compressed. The air around her stifling. Was this the creature? Or another vision brought on by the woods around them?

Her hand involuntarily gripped the fabric of Thorin's coat as she gasped for air and that seemed to startle him. He raised his bow and fired the arrow.

She watched it sail by the creature, Thorin having purposefully missed it. At least, she hoped he had.

The creature gave a start and darted off and away, disappearing amongst a cluster of trees.

"What...what was that?!" She croaked out and tried to gather more saliva in her throat and mouth, the dryness and taste making her want to dunk her head into the enchanted water to her side.

Thorin shook his head and reached his hand out to grab her, his hand settling at her side. She knew he wasn't trying to keep her safe nor comfort her, but to steady himself from the interaction they had all just been witness to.

"You shouldn't have done that. It's bad luck," Bilbo was just as quiet as she was and his voice, whilst closer now, was very steady and sad.

"I don't believe in luck. We make our own luck."

His hand released her and she stepped around to say something.

Suddenly, the sound of a splash startled them. They all spun around and stared at their friends, still hanging in the vines. And then, they let their eyes drop to the surface of the water below, where-

"Bombur!" Druili called out as she saw him lay, floating on the surface or the murky, dark waters. He was snoring as if he lay on a soft, feather-bed.


	5. What a web we Weave

C5: What a web we weave

It hadn't taken all that long to scoop Bombur out of the water. Which surprised a lot of them. Dwalin, in a moment of brilliant inspiration, had grabbed hold of his braid and carefully guided him along so he was gliding on the top of the water's surface. Without getting himself or anyone else wet, they'd passed the braid over until Druili, Thorin and Bilbo had fished him out.

She'd pulled Bombur up onto the shore and collapsing backwards, pulled his head onto her lap.

"Oh Bombur," she whined and tried to stop her lips shaking, "wake up, you git. Or we'll have to carry you and we won't have our cook anymore."

The others had managed to make it across without falling in and Bilbo had helpfully scavenged some thick and long pieces of fallen timber. Together, with everyone working as a team, they had made Bombur a makeshift stretcher and placed him atop when he didn't wake up.

Druili's sigh of relief was so loud when Thorin had told her she didn't have to carry it, she was sure she'd scared away any wildlife lurking nearby...if there was any in this place. But she did feel a small pang of guilt when Bofur, Fili, Kili, Dwalin, Bifur AND Nori had to carry him.

As they continued along the path, twisting and turning around the jagged root and rotting wood, she found herself walking alongside Balin.

"I cannot believe he is still asleep," Druili was trying to make the chatter light and keep spirits up, but even Balin struggled with a smile.

"But he'll be fine," she continued, "I've seen him outrun us and fight goblins. He's super tough."

Again, no reply. She wasn't annoyed or anything, she couldn't really blame them. This place was seeping into them.

"We need to take a rest," Nori called out from his position in the middle of the group carrying Bombur, sounding as if he was straining himself. Druili stopped and realised that they all looked like they were straining and struggling with some inner pain.

"He's right. We have to stop," she turned back to Thorin just in time to watch him falter and lean against a tree, "Thorin-Thorin are you okay?"

She tried to push her way to him but stumbled against a root and the lurch unexpectedly expelled the rest of her stomach contents that she'd been trying to hold onto for so long.

When she finally stopped and managed to straighten herself up, she leant against someone for support, not really seeing who it was.

"I'm tired. I'm so very tired," she glimpsed up and caught Oin looking around her as if trying to see where that voice had come from.

She shut her eyes momentarily and just let her thoughts bathe in the darkness there.

Somewhere, in the distance, from miles away...she heard a voice.

"What is that?"

It was Bilbo. But...how could he sound so far away, when he was right among the company.

"Those voices, can you hear them?"

What voices?

Druili braced herself against the tree and managed to stumble forward until she felt her hands land on Thorin's leg.

"I hear nothing. No Wind. No birds. What hour is it?" He called out and her ears began to ring.

"I do not know. I don't even know what day it is," someone that sounded very much like Dwalin spoke out.

"You all sound...so far away. Why are you so far?" She moved her hands from Thorin and scrubbed at her face, trying to rid herself of the sleep that seemed to be pushing at her.

"This is taking too long. We're lost. Is there no end to this accursed forest?!"

Druili moved away from Thorin, stumbling towards Fili.

"Please stop shouting," her hands moved to the sides of her head and covered her overly sensitive ears, but that didn't seem to help block out the noise.

"None that I can see. Only trees and more trees," Gloin pointed out to Thorin as if no one else could see what he saw.

She turned back around when Thorin groaned something unintelligible and he looked past her. Past the company and back towards where they had come from.

He moved quickly and walked by them all.

"This way."

She turned back to watch him leave and turned her head to Fili

"I wish people would stop moving. It's really hard to keep up."

She stumbled forward as groans of protest rang out, everyone trying to remind Thorin about what Gandalf said.

"Do as I say. Follow me," ss he ran on ahead, he did not bother to look behind him to see if they did follow.

Druili was the first one stumbling faster than she thought possible, trying to keep up.

"Don't-don't separate," she called out and squinted at the pain in her head.

On they marched through the wood, no one looking out for the path anymore. They followed anywhere that Thorin went. He led them over fallen trees and under small passages in the earth. They clustered together.

They came to a tree that dipped down and around a bend, a treacherous drop below. Of course, to move forward they had to cross it.

She waited until they had all helped move Bombur across, before climbing down herself. She was halfway across when her leg gave out and she stumbled and fell to the side.

Luckily, Fili was there to grab her and pull her back. She curled into him and leaned her weight against him.

"Dru, look at me," he pulled her back and held her at her arms, trying to shake her awake.

"I can't," her eyes fluttered open and shut a couple of times as she struggled to talk back to him, "It hurts Fi."

He pulled her back to him and supported her as they made their way up and around the tree, finally back on stable ground.

When they had reached safety, he pulled her back and gave her a couple of light taps with the back of his hand on her cheeks.

She scowled and swatted at him, looking very much like a child that had just been woken up from a nap.

"I really wish people would stop hitting me."

He merely nodded and shoved her in front of him, urging her onwards.

The cobwebs in her mind had thickened back to candy floss and she didn't know who it was she walked behind as she chatted away.

"Where are the others? I can hear them but they're so far away?" She finally turned herself around and realised that everyone was spread out, desperately searching the area. They were all talking and conversing and she finally looked down at her feet, when she remembered what it was they were looking for.

"Oh no. We've lost the path."

As they gathered back together and continued down a clearing of trees, Druili could swear it seemed brighter here. Had day come? Had the trees space out and allowed light to shine through? How long had they even been down there, wandering around aimlessly?

Her hand instinctively came out and she grabbed hold of the coat in front of her.

"Ki', my back hurts. Ki', I want to go home," she groaned in pain when the headache behind her eyes increased.

Thorin did not turn around when she spoke to him but kept walking even with her hand holding onto him tightly.

"We will be home soon. Erebor is close."

Druili squinted and stared hard at the back she was holding onto.

"Ki, your voice is funny."

Eventually, when they came to a clearing, some of the group stopped and began to converse. Druili couldn't make out all their words, but she heard about someone finding a tobacco pouch. Which was odd, because only they had tobacco pouches. Unless there were more Dwarves in the woods?

She wandered over to Kili and found Fili standing with him, his head in his hands.

"I thought you were over there," she fell against him and wrapped her arms around Kili's neck, "how are you in two places at once?"

Kili shrugged and placed his head atop of hers, resting for a moment. She didn't mind that. What she minded was the voices raising around her.

"Shove off you lot," she grumbled out and twisted around so her back was against Kili's front, "stop yelling!"

Somehow, a fight broke out. People were shoved unceremoniously into one another and faces contorted in anger as words were thrown.

Druili eventually managed to get in between Ori, Nori, Fili and Kili and separate them with her arms.

"Pack it in!" She yelled out, trying to channel her mother when she and the boys had gotten into fights and squabbles. It didn't work. She was shoved outside the group and found herself leaning against a tree, tired and weak from lack of sleep and food. She could really go for some food.

As she craned her head back to rest against the trunk, she spotted a familiar figure clambering up the tree. Bilbo was already halfway up and she watched him go, clambering from branch to branch.

"What a strange, little hobbit," she mumbled to herself and pushed herself away from the tree, turning away from the group and trying to see Bilbo as he climbed higher and higher into the canopy.

She barely noticed when Thorin called attention to the company, thinking he was just yelling at them for fighting.

"Enough! QUIET! All of you!" His eyes bore into the company as he whispered the last part to them, "we're being watched."

Druili wandered away, her eyes only leaving the trees occasionally when she watched where her feet were going.

Unfortunately, she wasn't looking well enough.

Stumbling over a hidden mass of thick roots, she tumbled down and rolled herself onto her back.

She groaned in pain and frustration as all she wanted to do was sleep, but kept looking up at the canopy to spot her friend.

Her mind began to play tricks on her again. She swore she could hear him calling out. She swore she heard him say that the lonely mountain was in sight. But then, she must have been dreaming. Because she saw shadows quickly pass over the top, heading towards the spot he'd vanished.

She heard him scream then, clear and as loud as day from above her. She sat up and looked around but could see nothing.

"Bilbo?!" She called out and scuttled up, craning her head to see if she could catch a glimpse of him, "BILBO?!"

The noises she heard were not Bilbo though. She'd never heard anything like it before. Scuttling, chittering noises, like...insects crawling along. Hundreds of them. But she could not see them.

And then, she felt the pressure around her legs. It tugged her fast and swiftly and she fell forward, her hands barely protecting her face as the ground met her. Her tiredness had gone and her instincts kicked in. She thrashed and turned herself over, coming face to face with a giant spider. Looming over her and its fangs bared for her to see. She did the only thing she could think of.

The group of Dwarves were silent, listening intently for any sound of whoever was watching them. And then, there came the scream. A Blood-curdling, horrified scream, from close by. And they all immediately knew who it was, for there was only one female in their group.

Looking around desperately, Fili quickly pushed his way through to the front of the group, still unsteady on his feet.

"Dru?! DRU!"

Kili clambered up the tree root, entangling himself amongst spiders web he had not noticed before.

"DRU!"

And then, he saw them. At varying speeds and sizes, there were many.

"SPIDERS!" Was the last thing he said before they descended.

The group was quickly and irrevocably overwhelmed.

Darkness overcame each and every one.

_Fili had been sleeping peacefully when he felt a soft and gentle tapping against his forehead._

_"Fi?"_

_Someone was trying to talk to him, but he ignored them._

_The tapping occurred again, a little harder and more noticeable._

_"Fi, are you awake?"_

_He shuffled around and turned himself onto his back to get more comfortable, just wanting the voice to go away._

_He thought it had, but then felt a painful pinch to his nose. He immediately tried to shake it off and opened his eyes to glare down at whoever it was disturbing him._

_In the darkness with only the light of the moon illuminating in from the window, he made out a familiar mass of red curls and a face looking at him eagerly._

_"Fi, you're awake!"_

_"Piglet?" He blinked away the sleep from his eyes and looked at her with concern, "Piglet, what's wrong?"_

_Her brow lowered and she glared at him.  
"Don't call me Piglet," her glare disappeared as she looked beseechingly at him, "Fi, I can't sleep."_

_He blinked at her a few times. His head then collapsed back against his pillow with a 'woompf' and he settled back into his cosy nest._

_"What's that got to do with me?" He grumbled when she let out a huff of exasperation, the air hitting his face._

_"Because you told me the story of the bone munchers!" She hissed at him, her voice carrying around the otherwise quiet room. _

_From the other side of the room, she heard a shuffling and turned over to see Kili sit up from his own bed, his eyes half shut as he looked around._

_"What-where-who-" He focused across the room, possibly just making out the shapes of his sister and brother._

_"It's all right, Ki," Fili called out and pulled his covers tighter around him, "It's just Piglet."_

_Druili looked over her shoulder at Kili, unaware he couldn't make out her pout or big eyes._

_"Ki'...I can't sleep."_

_Kili did the same thing as his brother. After a couple of blinks, he landed back against his pillow, grumbling as he tried to slip back into his dream._

_"Then go eat, that usually helps."_

_Druili groaned._

_"Can you lot come with me?"_

_Fili rolled over and faced his window, whilst Kili rolled and faced the wall._

_"Sod off, piglet."_

_They both listened, halfway between wake and sleep. They were waiting for the sound of shuffling, the opening of the door and then the hopeful closing of it. But instead, the shuffling they heard came from the centre of their room and then stopped abruptly. _

_Curiosity got the best of Fili first and he turned back over. In between their beds was a long, black fur rug and atop of it currently, Druili was now lying on her side, with her head rested on her hands._

_Fili pushed himself up on one arm and looked down at her._

_"What are you doing now?"_

_Druili's eyes flickered open and shut again._

_"Trying to sleep."_

_Fili groaned and stared daggers at her._

_"You can't sleep here."_

_She opened her eyes and stared back up at him defiantly._

_"I can if I want. I won't talk anymore. Go to sleep."_

_Fili's free hand came to scrub at his face, his exasperation evident as he tried to think._

_"WHY are you sleeping in here?"_

_Druili avoided his eyes for a moment and bit her bottom lip._

_"...Because I'm scared of the monsters," she whispered quietly, but he'd heard her. Fili felt a tug of guilt at his gut and he sat himself up, pushing the covers down and swinging his legs over the side as he looked at her._

_"Piglet," he made sure his tone was more gentle, "I promise you, there are no monsters."_

_"But...there are," her eyes went wide and she pulled her knees closer to herself, "Trolls, Goblins, Orcs...what's to say the Bone Munchers aren't real?"_

_Kili decided that now was a good time to interject._

_"They are real and they eat sisters who keep their brothers awake."_

_"You're not helpful," Fili now felt even worse when Druili trembled, though from fear or cold he wasn't sure, "I'm sorry I told you that story, I am. I made it up. I promise you, there's no such thing as Bone Munchers who hide in clothes drawers."_

_She raised her head slightly, trying to look at him from a better angle to see if he was sincere._

_"You promise?"_

_He smiled at her and shook his head as he counted off the mental list in his head he was sure she'd know about._

_"No monsters in the Drawers. No Monsters under the stairs. No monsters in closets waiting to pop out or those that live under the bed."_

_Druili's eyes widened in terror._

_"There are stories about monsters who live under the bed?"_

_Her gaze shifted briefly from Fili to where his legs were and back to him, nervously waiting for him to explain._

_Kili groaned from the other side of the room._

_"Now she'll NEVER sleep!"_

_Druili turned to him and back to Fili, a look of fear on her face at the thought they were going to kick her out of their room._

_"I-I will, sorry," she laid back down on the rug and shut her eyes tightly, holding her knees closer to her chest._

_She tried to relax her breathing and push herself deeper into the rug. She hoped it wasn't too obvious she was feigning sleep for their benefit._

_She heard Fili shuffle about in his bed and thought he surely would have gone to sleep by now, but she jolted at the shock of something landing next to her face and opened her eyes to find Fili's pillow there, with him now lowering himself next to her._

_"Shove over, Toad."_

_"But-but what are you-" She stopped when he glared at her, his finger coming out and squishing her nose so she had to stop talking and shake him off._

_"It's all right. I'll make sure the monster doesn't get you from this side."_

_She felt something else fall down behind her head and turned to see that Kili had thrown his own pillows down._

_"And I'll make sure to warn you two when I start getting eaten."_

_He laid his front against Druili's back and pulled the blanket over all three of them, immediately snuggling down for warmth._

_Laying in the silence, Druili attempted to hide her smile but Fili just chuckled and shook his head at her._

_Just as they had shut their eyes and settled in for a peaceful night, the sound from outside carried through the small room. A low and long howl floated through the air._

_No one said anything at first, but all their eyes were open._

_"I'm sure it was a dog," Kili said, though his voice was wobbling with nerves and he didn't realise he was playing with his sister's hair, twisting it nervously in his fingers._

_"Do you think Mam would let us sleep in her room?" Druili looked at Fili, seeing the little bit of fear he couldn't hide from his eyes._

_"She'd let us, but I think she'd have some things to say. Possibly to me and something along the lines of," his voice went higher as he did a spot-on impression of their mother, "'What have I told you about the stories?!'"_

_Druili and Kili actually laughed at that, before quietening down and hoping that their mother hadn't heard them._

_"Thanks, boys," Druili snuggled closer to Kili but dipped her head to lay closer to Fili's own. She felt his lips plant a small kiss on the top of her head before he spoke._

_"We'll always protect you, Piglet."_

_"Yeah, nothing bad will ever get you like this." Kili's arm looped around her waist, but she was pretty sure he was actually already sleeping. He could reply to any conversation in his sleep._

_"And I promise to protect you lot as well. I mean...if you get yourselves into trouble with your stupid jokes, you're on your own, but you know, I'll be there."_

_As she drifted off that night she felt warm, safe and secure. Not just because she was in her brother's arms but because she believed those words. Nothing bad could ever happen to her when she was with her brothers, could it?_

Druili felt warm. She was in a warm, cosy sleep. She thought that her mother had wrapped her up in a blanket when she'd fallen asleep again by the fire. But that wasn't right. She wasn't AT home. She was travelling on a quest with her friends to...do something, but what? Her head felt full of cobwebs again.

And it was strange, but she swore she could hear something. Chattering? Talking? No, she'd ...she'd never heard this before.

Whatever it was, she didn't know if she liked it. Perhaps, whatever it was outside of her dream, it was telling her it was better to be asleep. Yes. She liked that idea. She'd sleep for a bit longer.

And then, just as suddenly as she felt herself settle back in, she felt her whole body jolt. As if someone was throwing her. No, not throwing...she was being dropped! Where was she being dropped from?

She tried to open her eyes, but couldn't. There was something all over her face. Warm. Sticky. It was keeping the light out and the dark in. She groaned as her body impacted with something solid and flat.

And then, the voices came. Voices she knew. Whilst the substance covering her eyes prevented her from opening her lids, it wasn't covering her mouth. She tried to squirm, but the blanket that was covering her was too tight. She fought against it, only just able to wiggle her arms as she pushed and pushed against the fabric.

She managed to make out the voices around her.

"You all right there, Bofur?"

"I'm all right!"

"Who put this blanket on me?!"

"Dru!"

"Get it off me!"

Druili's hand managed to break free of the blanket and she desperately searched for the ending.

"Where's Bilbo?!"

From a distance way above her, Druili heard him.

"I'm up here-" He suddenly ended that statement with a scream and Druili somehow managed to sit herself bolt upright.

"Bilbo?!" She struggled more and more, thankful that another pair of hands came and helped yank off the rest of the blanket.

She finally felt her face freed and stared up at Fili.

"Come on Toad," he helped pull away the majority of web covering her feet, "out you come!"

She cowered back at the sight of the web coming off of her. Spiders. Of course, she'd be covered in cobwebs, ready to be eaten by spiders. She was pretty sure she'd had an exact nightmare like that once. She dusted herself off quickly, practically slapping away the cobwebs as she regarded her brother.

"You all right?!" She knew she sounded slightly hysterical and took some deep breaths to calm herself. Fili nodded and she looked around, counting heads quickly. All except Bilbo were accounted for.

"THERE'S MORE COMING!" Dwalin yelled and sure enough, the distant clatter of hundreds of legs against tree trunks came closer and everyone quickly left the area they were in.

They found another clearing and whilst it wasn't the path, it was a way out (hopefully).

All around them, Spiders began to descend. They hurried along from the back, the sides of the trees and the front.

Druili immediately clutched the hammer on her back and brought it around, ready to squash any that crossed her escape.

The group began to separate as the spiders grew in number. When a particularly large and nasty bugger scuttled towards her, she ran at it and used the tree roots around her.

She jumped up high and twisted her body through the air and met the creature with the sheer, blunt force of her hammer. It crashed to the side, shrieking in pain and she descended on it in her moment of madness. She brought the hammer down again and again on its body until its lower half was completely separated from its top half. She hadn't realised the blood that spurted out was covering her front entirely. But she didn't really care. When she was breathless and satisfied, she turned around and prepared herself for another attack.

Fili was staring at her, slightly aghast.

"You KNOW I hate spiders," was all she managed to get out before signalling to him there were more coming. If they were going to get out this, there'd probably be a lot more mess.

A sequence had begun. They'd run. They'd stop. They'd fight. They'd kill. Repeat. It was actually getting easier once she got in the rhythm and surprisingly fun, not as scared to be faced with so many fangs, grabby legs and many, black eyes.

"Kili!"

She turned towards Fili's voice and spotted them both. Kili had been grabbed from behind and was currently being pulled away from the group and Fili ran at the creature, his swords ready.

Druili and he both got there at the same time. As he hacked away at the creatures Torso and legs, she brought down her hammer on its head, causing it to let go of Kili.

As it dropped down dead as a dormouse, she turned to Kili.

"You all right, Ki?!"

He nodded at her, readjusting his coat and sword.

"Good!" She quickly dashed by him, spotting Ori and a few others in need of a helping hand.

Run. Stop. Fight. Kill. Repeat.

She didn't even know who she was running with half the time, only able to keep count of heads when they'd finished killing the beasts.

"We're clear!" Thorin called from the front as they ran on.

When she glanced behind her, she saw no more spiders and quickly looked over the group.

Another short.

"Kili?!" She called out and desperately tried to spot his head amongst the group, "you Dunderhead better not be lost again! Bilbo! Kili! If you're there, follow the ruckus!"

She turned her attention back to the front and just focused on keeping up with everyone else.

Suddenly a few yards in front of them, a rogue spider dropped down. It reared its body and gave a loud cry, which Druili would have called a roar had it not been so horrendous.

Everyone readied themselves, their weapons raised. They could take it on, regardless of size. But their attention was caught by the shrill calls from above.

Everyone watched as the spiders that had been coming to help its comrade, began to fall to the ground. Dead.

And high above, dancing elegantly on the branches as it ran towards them, was an unfamiliar figure.

"It's a bloody elf!" Druili cried out, unsure of whether or not to be pleased.

She watched him slaughter the spiders and slide under the one that was approaching them, slicing its belly with his blade.

But as he slid in front of the company, his bow was already raised and he had reached for the arrow in his quiver quicker than they could blink.

The sound of multiple bowstrings being pulled taut caught their attention. Druili looked around and saw multiple elves with their weapons drawn and pointed directly at the company.

"Of. Bloody. Course!" she was the first to lower her hammer but kept a tight grip on it as the elf in front spoke to Thorin.

"Do not think I won't kill you, Dwarf. It would be my pleasure."

Oh, Druili REALLY wanted to hit him. Whether it be with her hammer or her fists.

The group was surrounded from all sides and not one Elf hesitated with their bow.

And then the scream came.

"Help!"

_'Kili.'_


	6. Throw away the Key

C6: Throw away the Key

_'Kili.'_

Druili's heart missed a beat. She turned in horror when she remembered who else was missing.

"KILI!" both her and Fili called out, but Druili's foot moved, regardless of the arrows pointed at her.

"Do not move, Dwarf!" She heard someone say, but blind panic had also rendered her deaf to any voice that tried to stop her.

"KILI! KILI, I'M COMING!" She ran perhaps a foot ahead, when strong arms grabbed her, "NO, LET ME GO TO HIM! KILI!"

She didn't stop screaming, not even when she was forced to join the group again and Dwalin and Fili had settled her down. Fili quickly grabbed her face, even as she beat her hands against his shoulders.

"I'll not lose you also!" He made her look at him, "he'll be all right! He-he will be." The uncertainty in his voice shattered her. She felt her eyes burning as she gazed at him, powerless to help.

"He's our brother, we have to," she willingly went into his arms as he embraced her as she shook, "we have to help him."

"Do not take another step!" And Elf appeared closer and pointed his arrow at her, but she sneered at him.

"Heartless cowards, the lot of you!" She willed the tears back and clung onto Fili, "he's in trouble! HE NEEDS HELP!"

She turned her head desperately to the front and looked at the one who had first appeared.

"Bloody do something you useless piece of-"

"Kili!" Fili loosened his grip on her but pulled her about to turn her back. When she did, she took a couple of unsteady breaths.

Kili was marched towards the group, being shoved by a tall, imposing female.

"Ki," Druili whispered and when he was close enough, grabbed hold of his coat and pulled him in close to her. Instead of hugging him though, she pulled his body almost flush with hers so their noses were touching.

"Don't you EVER GO OFF ON YOUR OWN AGAIN," she pulled him and twisted him so he was now to the side of her and pointed her finger at the elf that had manhandled him, "and you! BACK. OFF."

She drew her head back and lifted her chin as high as it would go. She thought she was doing a very good job at intimidating the elf, even if the female merely raised an eyebrow at her.

She felt Fili and Kili's hands on her shoulders and was pulled back behind them.

"Dru, it's all right," Kili whispered to her and she noticed him glance up at the elf. She wondered if he was thinking the same thing she was: If they could get a lucky punch in? Probably not.

"Search them," Legolas called out and the company were shoved farther apart so each elf could get to them. Druili had Tauriel and sneered up at her as the elf immediately pulled away her hammer from her grasp and proceeded to prod around her body searching for something else.

"Sod off, that's it," Druili grumbled out, displeased when she was ignored and Tauriel even dove a hand into her hair, "I wouldn't, I'll get my bloody birds to attack you!"

Tauriel actually did pull back at that statement and she swore there was a twinge in her cheek. Was she trying not to laugh at her?

"Turn it out, little Dwarf," Tauriel looked down at her pouch and Druili obliged, albeit rather grumpily and with jerky motions.

"Look dangerous clothes," She shook the items out at Tauriel before shoving them back inside her pouch, "you're more than welcome to take them, but...I don't think they'll fit you."

Druili pointedly stared straight ahead at Tauriel's chest and smirked. Tauriel however, gave her a much colder look. Apparently, though, she was satisfied that Druili was not carrying anything else dangerous and moved along to inspect one of the others.

Druili turned her attention back to Fili. As his twin swords were taken from him, the Elf said something and whilst she did not immediately recognise it, she had a feeling she knew what it was.

Two more much smaller knives appeared from Fili's hands as he looked up at the guard who looked down at him expectantly.

"Just give him your bloody collection," Druili folded her arms and looked over at her brother. It would be much easier if they all obeyed and hopefully, once they cleared up whatever misunderstanding was occurring, they might get their weapons back quicker.

The Elf guard obviously knew what kind her brother was as he reached forward and, reaching underneath one of his collars, pulled out a small throwing dagger.

Fili scoffed at being caught out.

"I bloody KNEW IT," Druili grumbled and ignored the glare he sent her way. She knew he could have spared her a dagger or sword back at the Goblin mountain.

As they were shoved through the forest and marched towards their unknown destination, Druili kept sneaking glances back at Kili.

He had been unusually quiet and his gaze kept turning to the Elf that had 'rescued' him. Druili wasn't sure she liked the looks he was giving her as if trying to catch her attention so he could look at her face some more.

They eventually came to a much lighter clearing in the forest and Druili basked in the warmth from the sun that shone from above. She took a deep breath in through her nose, no longer feeling nauseous when she did so.

She smelt the waterfall before she saw or even heard it.

As they came to a bridge, the rapids below looked so inviting, she was tempted to toss herself and the elf Tauriel off. She thought she would use her as a makeshift boat whilst she paddled to freedom.

She smirked to herself, finding a little bit of joy at the moment she had just thought up.

On the other side of the bridge, great doors seemed to be made into the very earth itself. The paintings and carvings on the front Druili recognised as that of the Elves of Mirkwood.

This was their kingdom. Their home.

And inside, she knew a King would be waiting.

On they were led. Through chambers and hallways that twisted and turned around giant pieces of rock and root.

Druili knew they were travelling beneath the forest floor and for some odd reason, that comforted her. Like Bilbo and his Hobbit hole or Thorin and the Mountain, the idea of being surrounded by trees and earth...it was pleasant. She enjoyed the smell of the place at least, if not the present company.

Whilst they crossed a bridge and Druili had a moment to look around, she spotted in the centre of the large and well-lit chamber, a throne. And upon that throne, sat a figure who was clad in silks and had hair that shone as the very moonbeams had kissed him.

And whilst they were on the platform below him, she swore she could see his very eyes piercing through her. Staring at them all.

He was the most beautiful, cold, ethereal being she had ever set eyes on.

And when Thorin was pulled away from the group and led towards him, whilst the others were led further down, Druili hated the elf all the more.

She knew exactly who he was, just be the way Thorin had sneered.

Deeper down they were led and the beautiful chambers surrounded by dirt and root gave way to rock. Downstairs they went and finally, Druili realised where they were being taken. Unlike Rivendell, they were not guests. They were prisoners.

Separated quickly into varying groups, they were shoved and pushed into cells, each one yelling a curse at the Elf that had put them there.

Soon, her, Fili and Kili were marched along a row. Fili was shoved into a cell before her, but not before his guard reached around him and dove into his coat. Alas, Fili hadn't hidden all his weapons well enough and the last dagger was pulled out.

Druili could have laughed, but the sudden cold and intrusive hand on her shoulder brought her attention back to where they were. She turned around and shrugged off the hand, but the guard looked down at her and reached for her again.

"Back. Off!" She snarled up at him and took a step towards her cell. She knew he was pointing at her holster and whilst she wasn't sure what he was saying, she would be damned if she relinquished it or showed him what it was.

He took a more confident step towards her and she raised her hands out.

"I WILL NOT BE TOUCHED!"

She readied for a fight but Tauriel interjected, stepping between her and the elf.

"You will relinquish whatever weapon you are hiding-"

"IT'S NOT A BLOODY WEAPON!" She hissed out and could feel her nails digging into the palms of her hands, cutting through the leather of her gloves.

Whilst she did not see him, Kili's voice called out to her from around the corner.

"Dru, it's all right-"

"No, Ki," she looked at Tauriel who seemed to be watching her with great interest, "I'll not let him touch me."

Tauriel seemed to debate this. She turned quickly and signalled for the other elf to step aside from the door. She turned back to Druili and nodded her head, gesturing at her chest.

"Show me."

Druili grit her teeth. She had a choice: fight it every step of the way and get her holster taken off of her or just for once...

"Fine," Druili took one tentative step back so she was deeper in her cell and not taking her eyes off of Tauriel she gestured to the door, "tell him to clear off."

Tauriel actually made the elf guard move farther away from the entrance and then walked in herself. Druili took a deep breath and willed herself not to glare. She removed one arm from her tunic and lifted it over her shoulder, so the holster was out and visible.

Knowing that Tauriel wouldn't be satisfied with just seeing it on the outside, she carefully unlatched the front and threw off the belt. She also made sure her hand covered the inside lining at the top, where a button hid the secret pocket that her mother had taken such care to sew in.

"Why do you wear it if not to conceal a weapon?" Tauriel stepped towards her so she could look directly down at Druili. She'd known this question was coming. She pulled the fabric away from her chest, knowing that from the elves perspective she could see all the way down.

"I wear it to conceal something else," she sneered and waited for the shock and disgust to come. But it never did.

Tauriel's eyebrow flicked upwards momentarily, but that was it. Her gaze returned to Druili's face and she nodded.

"You may keep it," she stated and turned away, marching out of the cell.

As the door shut behind her, Druili pulled her tunic back over to walk up to the bars, not bothering with her holster just yet as her other brother was marched off to his own cell.

She could just make out Tauriel's form as she shoved Kili into his cell. Leaning against the bars of the door, she held onto them in her hand

"Aren't you going to search me?" She heard him say, "I could have anything down my trousers."

Druili rolled her eyes and groaned at the timing her brother had when it came to his flirting.

"Or nothing."

Tauriel's cool and quick reply had Druili biting her lip, trying to keep in a laugh.

She waited for the footsteps to disappear and Tauriel to walk on by her before she addressed him.

"You deserved that, Ki," she heard his intake of breath and scowled, "and I know you're smiling!"

She pulled away in disgust but stopped when she felt a tug at her head. Looking up, she noticed that one of her wayward braids had gotten hooked on a curve in the bars.

"Bollocks," she set to slowly untangling herself, just glad her brothers couldn't see her.

Once she was free, she turned and took in her cell. Small and damp. With one bench decorated with a blanket and one bucket on the floor.

"Nice place," she grumbled to herself and wandered over to the bench to sit down.

A small light caught her eye as she sat and turned to the wall to see a tiny hole. Gazing into it, she saw a similar cell greeting her sight and remembered who was in between her and Kili.

"Fi? Fi can you hear me?" She whispered and kept looking, waiting for him to reply. She saw his head dip down and his lips hover by the hole on his side.

"Yes."

"Fi, we can talk secretly here!" She whispered excitedly and pulled her feet up on the bench.

She watched his lip twist into a smirk.

"You know you're in a cell that echo's out, right?" He didn't bother to whisper, demonstrating that he also had an echo in his own cell.

She scowled, not caring if he didn't see it.

"Oh, shut up."

As she began to wander her cell and the time passed slowly, everyone grew restless. The guards had disappeared, dwindling down to one or two passing by a staircase in the distance. She watched her friends cry out and scream to be freed, Dwalin, Fili and even Oin and Gloin began to throw their bodies against their cell doors.

Ori could just see Druili from across the way, watching her as she observed everyone.

"Aren't you mad?! Aren't you going to break down your door?!" He called out to her, surprised that she was doing nothing to get out of her own cell.

"I doubt we'd break them. Anyway," She purposefully raised her voice so she could be heard, "I'm reserving my energy for when the door is open and I can get my hands on the elf that took my hammer! I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME."

Even after Balin calmed everyone down, she could feel the restlessness in the air around them. She pressed herself against the bars again and reached out her arm as far as she could get it, waving it around. She patted the rock in between the cells to get her brothers attention.

"Fi?"

She waited for a moment and heard him shuffle beside her. And the next minute, she felt his hand grasp hers.

"Are you all right, Piglet?"

She rolled her eyes and gave his fingers a squeeze. There was just enough length between them that she could touch his palms with her fingers.

"I'm peachy. Where's Thorin?"

"He's still with the King."

She sighed leant her forehead against the cold metal.

"I'll doubt they'll feed us properly in here," she grumbled but smirked as she said, "well..at least I get a bucket to myself."

Fili's chuckle was the reward she had been after.

"Dru, please."

He gave her fingers one last squeeze before letting go and Druili dropped her arm, instantly missing the contact.

Steps from above alerted her to the presence of more Elves, but this time they had Thorin in front of them.

"Uncle!" She called out and he turned to her, noting her face of concern and giving her a comforting nod.

He was shoved unceremoniously into his own cell and as the guard walked away, she noted that he was the one with the keys to their freedom. Unfortunately, he did not walk by her or anyone else and disappeared downwards.

Balin came to his door and whilst the shouting earlier had worked, his low voice meant she couldn't quite make out what was being said.

"I can't hear what's being said! Fili!" She called out to him and pressed her ear through the bars, trying her hardest.

"You have ears, use them," came his smooth reply.

She listened closely, but could only make Thorin's yell of, "Him and all his kin!"

She groaned. The discussion had obviously not gone well.

"You know my nose is stronger, Fili," she made to move back but again, found herself in a predicament, "Fili...I have a problem."

He didn't even hesitate with his reply.

"Did you get your hair caught in the gate again?"

"...Yes."

When he laughed, she swore she'd hit him as soon as they were free.

As time moved on and they began to settle in for what seemed to be a long night, Druili had made sure to get herself comfortable. She'd readjusted her holster, wrapped her blanket around her for warmth and settled down on the bench, her head resting by the hole in the wall. Her and Fili had discussed the events in the forest, commenting on one another's fighting techniques.

She also took the opportunity to grumble to him about her weapons.

"First I lose my pickaxes, now I've lost my hammer," she lowered her tone so she hoped only he could hear her, "if we do find out own way out of here, how will I get my hammer back?"

"It's just a hammer, Dru," he replied to her, not really missing his own weapons, "we can get you one-"

"I know, 'when we get back' but," she bit her lip and scrunched her nose at her discomfort, "Fili...Mam and Dwalin got me that. I know I shouldn't be too attached to it but...it is my favourite hammer."

He chuckled.

"How can it be your favourite when it's the only one you've got?"

"You mean the only one I had-"

She stopped talking with him as footsteps approached her cell. She sat up and waited. She scowled when the familiar sight of Tauriel walked by her door, pausing to glance in. She was probably making sure the prisoners were still all accounted for.

Druili smirked to herself and raised her voice.

"Say, brother, do you smell something?"

As Tauriel moved past, she heard his warning tone.

"Dru."

She smiled to herself, not caring what the consequences of her words would be.

"Must be my mistake."

She was going to wait for footsteps to disappear to continue their conversation but listened when Tauriel spoke.

"The stone in your hand, what is it?"

Druili scuttled up and quietly made her way to the door.

"It is a Talisman," she heard her brother reply and pressed herself flush against the wall so she wouldn't be spotted. She knew what stone it was. She'd eavesdropped on the conversation Kili had had with Dis. She'd told him to do as Fili said and not to get himself into trouble. She'd pressed the stone into his palm and held onto him the morning he left.

"A powerful spell lies upon it. If any but a dwarf reads the runes on this stone they will be forever cursed."

_'Hogwash,' _she thought to herself. She heard Tauriel move again but Kili stopped her.

"Or not. Depending on whether you believe in that kind of thing. It's just a token. A runestone. My mother gave it to me so I'd remember my promise."

He seemed to have Tauriel's attention.

"What promise?" She said in a tone much gentler than she'd been using.

_'To brush his teeth every day,' _Druili really wanted to interject, but also wanted to listen in. It wasn't that she LIKED eavesdropping, but you could always pick up really good and helpful bits of information.

"That I would come back to her."

Druili felt a tug in her chest. She knew, that Fili could hear this also and must have felt the same. They'd talked some evenings when the others had gone to sleep, about what their mother would be doing. What work she would see to, who she would help.

They never said how much they missed her, but they all felt it.

"She worries. She thinks I'm reckless."

"Thinks," she grumbled and moved away from the door and closer to her bench.

She heard the quick 'Shh' from the small hole a second later and held back her snort of amusement that Fili was also listening in.

"Are you?"

"Nah."

A short clatter broke through the comfortable silence and Dru moved back to the door. She watched as Tauriel bent low and retrieved the small, black stone that Kili had carried with him on his journey.

The Elf maiden held it aloft and admired it in the light.

Distance sounds of talk and laughter could be heard from above, filtering through the caverns. The Elves were obviously having a good time.

"Sounds like quite a party you're having up there."

Druili cautiously stepped to the other side of the door, looking out to see Tauriel still standing in front of Kili's cell.

As they continued to converse, Druili noticed the sudden change in Tauriel's attitude. Her smile. Her posture. Her eyes. She was happy and comfortable, just conversing with Kili. It was with a sudden feeling, akin to a ship sinking in her stomach, she realised her brother was flirting with the elf.

And it seemed the elf was either flirting back or enjoying it.

She rushed back to the hole and began a rapid, whispered conversation.

"Urg! I'm so telling mother."

Fili sounded as if he wasn't really interested in the conversation.

"Maybe he is just luring her to get the keys."

"Doesn't have the keys, he's being his usual charming self and making the best out of a bad situation," she huffed out, "How can you stand it?!"

"Just...let him be. It's been a hard couple of...well," he laughed to himself at the immeasurable amount of bad times they had had, "if he's making the most out of a bad situation, let him."

Druili still huffed in exasperation, but begrudgingly settled onto the bench and pulled the blanket closer to her.

"Fine. First the Elf at Rivendell and now this one! Unbelievable."

"Jealous?" He chuckled from the other side.

"HAH," she quietened down when she remembered where they were, "you know, as well as I do, he's never serious about his flirting. And in a situation like this, he REALLY can't help himself. Before, we were welcome guests, but we're LITERALLY prisoners...still, anything is better than Rosemary Highwall I suppose."

"What about Violet Black?"

She groaned.

"OR Rosie Adley!"

They both laughed at the mention of the name. Kili had had quite a few run-ins with some maidens, whether they were Dwarf or Human. And whilst he was very good at keeping away from certain trouble, that didn't stop him from breaking a few hearts along the way. But still, regardless of who came along or who wanted to kiss him at whatever festival, he'd always come back to spend time with his brother and sister.

_"Do you think Mam would like a necklace this year? I could try braiding her a new one with those same beads we got her for her hair?" Druili stood at a stall, distracted by the shining pebbles and beads on display, all in a neat and organised pile._

_Fili came over and looked at them with her._

_"Possibly but you'd have to practice some more," he picked up one of the pebbles and held it up to inspect it, "and make sure you hide it better than the belt you made her last year."_

_She grimaced at the memory._

_"I didn't know she'd look UNDER my pillow!"_

_Fili put the pebble back down and nodded at the owner, before moving along with Druili close behind._

_"She still tidies your room, even if you SAY you don't want her to," he looked over his shoulder at her, "she does it to all of us, you should have known better."_

_Druili scowled at him and stuck her tongue out._

_"I know, lesson bloody learned," she sighed and weaved her way around people to walk beside him, "what if I hide it in one of those books you have hidden under your bed?"_

_Fili actually stopped walking and stared down at her, aghast._

_"How do you know about the books under my bed?!"_

_Her slow, wide smile unnerved him._

_"Come off it, Fi," she carried on walking and clasped her hands around her back, "we've known about those books for years. Kili showed me."_

_She cackled when she heard Fili curse before catching back up to stand beside her._

_"I'll bloody kill that little goblin."_

_Druili then took the time to glance around the crowd, stopping for a moment to stand on her tip-toes to see around some of the people._

_"Where is he anyway? He said he wouldn't wander too far."_

_"You know what he's like, he's probably gotten distracted by something-"_

_"Or someone," Druili interjected. She grabbed Fili's hand in her own and shook him, "Look at that little twerp!"_

_Fili followed her gaze and sure enough a few yards in front of them, Kili was bidding goodbye to a female._

_She clutched a basket of apples and laughed wildly at something he was saying. He wore his best grin and held five apples in total in both hands. He bowed before her and offered the apples back, but she was already besotted with him for she held her hand up and shook her head._

_Druili and Fili both scowled in disgust when Kili, moving the apples to his pockets quickly, took the girls hand and planted a firm kiss against her knuckles._

_And then as he was walking away from her, decided to turn around and blow her a kiss, which she received with more hysterical giggling._

_Druili let go of Fili's hand and moved quickly forward. With his back still to her, she brought up her hands and grabbed the edges of his ears in a firm grasp._

_"Boo!" She gave a swift tug before releasing him. He jumped about a mile, whirled around and swatted at her._

_"YOU TOAD!" He tried to grab her and then gave chase when she dodged him, even trying to shove Fili aside when she darted behind him and hid._

_"Come off it, Ki," Fili laughed and stood his ground as his brother tried to get by, "you deserved that fair and square. What did you do to show off this time?"_

_Kili took a step back and momentarily forgetting about his sister, smiled wide._

_"Showed her my juggling skills. And I only dropped one of the apples."_

_Druili's head bopped up from Kili's shoulder and she audibly gagged. Kili then made a grab for her again and successfully got the sleeve of her coat. She tugged at him however and held onto Fili for dear life so it was like an awkward sandwich._

_After a few moments of squabbling and scrambling about, Kili let go and dusted his hands out as if washing himself of the whole business._

_"Well then," he smirked at Fili, "If that's how it's going to be I suppose I better take these apples home. Or better yet," he looked around him, "Maybe I'll find some of my mates and we'll have a banquet."_

_He'd barely walked two paces away before he felt strong arms grab him around the shoulders and another pair of hands grab at an arm._

_Fili chuckled behind him whilst Druili looked at him with a sweet and innocent smile._

_"Oh please, please, dear sweet and handsome brother. Give me an apple or...I'll bite your fingers off."_

_He couldn't help but laugh at that._

_"As my lady requests," he held out his hands in surrender and both of his siblings relinquished their hold._

_As they walked along each with their own apple clasped in their hands, they made their way out of the market and towards home._

_"Ah, dear sweet Rosie," Kili sighed dramatically and placed his empty hand over his heart, "will I ever see her ruby lips or rosy cheeks again?"_

_"Did she show you her rosy cheeks already?" Druili wiggled her brows and dodged the swipe, biting into the flesh of her apple._

_"She didn't give it to you it because she likes you, she just felt sorry for your ugly ears."_

_Fili grabbed the edge of his brothers ears and tugged affectionately. _

_"He's right you know," Druili took another bite of her apple but that didn't stop her from talking, "I'd of ad' a beffer chancsh."_

_Both Fili and Kili stopped and watched her walk on, temporarily in shock from what she just said._

_"Come on you two," she turned around and began to walk slowly backwards as she smiled at them, "the last one back does chores for a week."_

_Both brothers dashed off and would have beaten her, had she not used her apple to pelt Kili in the back of his head and turned his distraction into her victory._

_He didn't see Rosie for a week due to all the cleaning he was forced to do._

Druili had drifted in and out of fretful sleep. Between chatting to Fili, ensuring everyone else was ok and just trying to keep hopeful about the situation, her dreams didn't come to her and every time she felt herself relax, she would jolt herself back awake when she heard the slightest sound. Whether it was distant laughter, footsteps or the fall of water in the background of the caverns.

She was at least grateful for the presence of the bucket for the last of those sounds.

She had thrown her blanket off and took to gazing out of her cell, timidly waving and catching edges of conversation, or even trying to lighten the spirits of the others with word games and riddles.

But they all felt it. That hope and determination they had held onto for so long...it was slipping away.

"I'll wager the sun is on the rise. Must be nearly dawn," Bofur called out to her or really, anyone that was still listening.

"Try something a little more optimistic, Bofur," she drew her hands quickly against the metal, relishing in the almost musical sound they made.

"We're never gonna' reach the mountain, are we?" Ori's little voice almost had her in tears.

"Of course we are! You just...wait and see," she thought, maybe if Thorin were to go and give the King the deal he requested, then surely he'd let them go. Maybe even help to get them to Erebor quicker.

She heard Fili next to her. He slumped against the wall and his dejected sigh tore her in two. The little bubble of hope in her chest felt ready to burst.

She placed her head against the bars of the cell and sighed. Maybe they wouldn't make it. Maybe, just maybe, Ori was right.

"We won't reach the mountains this year," she whispered to the air in front of her.

"Not stuck in here, you're not," a familiar voice whispered suddenly and her head snapped up and her eyes opened wide.

She practically vibrated and shook with excitement and only just managed to contain her shriek of happiness.

"Fili!" She whispered to him loudly, but she needn't have bothered.

"I see. I see him, shh."

The others didn't seem to get the message.

"Bilbo?!" Balin yelled, drawing the attention of all the others who clambered to the front of their own cells.

"What?!" Kili exclaimed, completely being pulled out of his daydreaming (possibly of a certain Elf). Everyone then began to chatter amongst themselves, all excited that their friend had come back.

"SHUT UP YOU LOT!" Druili whispered as loud as she dared and waved her hands about frantically, doing a very good impression of an aggravated chicken.

"SHH! There are guards nearby!" Bilbo opened the first door and let Thorin loose.

"Bilbo, Bilbo, Bilbo!" Druili actually did jump up and down when he appeared in front of her door and opened it. She would have grabbed him, but he quickly moved away and opened the other two doors next to her.

"Remind me to kiss you later, you beautiful Hobbit!"

She instead took this moment to grab Kili's arm as he made to bound passed her.

"And you, Mr Bloody flirt!" She smacked him in the shoulder, "Really?!"

"Not now," he tried to get by again but she stepped to the side and blocked him.

"Does she know about your parasites?"

He actually did shove her aside and glared down at her.

"NOT. NOW." He growled at her and walked by.

She would have gone after him again, but Fili placed a calming hand in hers.  
"Come on, you can kick his backside later," he pulled her along, guiding her along the stairs. She was surprised when Bilbo told Thorin not to go upstairs, but took charge and led everyone downstairs instead.

She let go of Fili's hand as one by one, they walked down the path, leading farther into the caverns. Bilbo must have known a secret way out, she thought to herself. Else, he was leading them farther into danger.

When they reached the bottom of the staircase, he signalled for them all to go quieter.

She recognised a wine cellar when she saw it, though the vast size of the entire place could hold Hundreds of the largest barrels she'd seen in various taverns and pubs.

A few feet from the stairs, two Elf guards laid face first on a table, snoring loudly.

"Not so elegant after all," she whispered to herself and looked at the contents on the table in front of their unconscious bodies, "Three bottles? Weaklings."

One of the guards heads popped up and she froze. Surely, they wouldn't have heard that?!

Luckily, he seemed to just be dreaming and let his head fall back down on the table in his drunken stupor.

She let out a breath.

"This way. Come on," Bilbo kept walking, signalling for the others to follow. Barrels of wine and alcohol were everywhere. As she carefully tip-toed down to follow, something on the other end of the table caught her eye.

She quickly diverted, ignoring the pointed looks and whispered warnings she got. She threw a look over her shoulder and mouthed, 'Hang on!' to Thorin and the others who watched her.

She made her way around the table, by the guard who had originally locked their cells and plucked out an apple from the table. As she turned back around and made her way back over to the company, she bit into it three times, munching away.

Almost everyone shared the same look of disbelief.

She merely pointed to the apple and then to her stomach, trying to convey how hungry she was. Kili was the first to turn away and, looking around him realised just where they were and drew his attention back to Bilbo.

"I don't believe it. We're in the cellars."

"You were supposed to be leading us out, not further in!" Bofur joined in accusing him, getting almost nose to nose with Bilbo, but the Hobbit didn't actually seem too fussed.

"Shut it already, Bilbo has a plan...You have a plan, right?" Druili hastily bit into the rest of the apple, knowing that whilst devouring it this way would cause issues with her later, she was just really hungry now.

"I know what I'm doing-" He replied confidently but Bofur put his finger up and told him to 'Shh!'

Druili followed close behind him and gave him a smack on his shoulder.

"You shh!" She whispered before devouring another few bites of her apple. She tossed its not so naked carcass aside, mourning the loss of what could have been.

"This way! This way!" Bilbo began to guide everyone around the corner from the table to a carefully stacked pyramid of barrels, opposite rows and rows of bottles. They walked along cautiously, but Druili was now debating the risk of taking a bottle and just swigging it down.

"Everyone, climb into the barrels quickly!" Bilbo signalled them but kept to the back so he could keep an eye out.

Dwalin was the first to call him out and pushed everyone forward to get to the Hobbit.

"Are you mad? They'll find us!"

Druili, however, had already climbed in one of the higher barrels and was turning herself about to get comfy.

"I have no arguments, but Bilbo, if your plan is to hide here, I don't think it will work," she knew that all it would take is one inquisitive and well-sighted elf to walk by and see Bombur's head or backside poking out.

"No, no. They won't, I promise you. Please, please. You must trust me," Bilbo may have been whispering, but his words held a lot of strength. He knew he was asking a lot, but he was now a rightful member of their company and had already saved their lives before.

"Just get in the blood barrels you lot!" Druili began to shove and grab at others to get in, ignoring the grunts and groans from the party.

A slow murmur spread out and everyone began to discuss it amongst themselves. Druili peeked around the bend and spotted Thorin who made eye contact with briefly. She gave him a pleading looking and he turned back to Bilbo, whose own gaze held his.

"Do as he says," he looked at the company and without another word of argument, they all began to pick out and clamber into their own barrels. She tried to grab hold of people and help them into their own barrels but moved back into her own when she got a boot in the back of her head accidentally, courtesy of Balin.

"Sorry, lass," he whispered in his barrel, but she waved her hand out and signalled she was ok.

Soon enough, everyone minus Bilbo was in their barrel.

"What do we do now?" Bofur called out and there was a brief pause. Everyone poked their heads out to look at Bilbo, ready for his great idea.

"Hold your breath."

"...Bilbo, I changed my mind," Druili clung to the edges of her barrel, not liking where he was going with this.

"Hold my breath?" Everyone watched Bilbo approach the lever he had passed by earlier and Bofur just couldn't let it rest, "What do you mean?!"

As Bilbo pushed the lever, the sound of mechanisms grinding and turning against one another sung out.

The world began to tilt. The barrels moved slowly. Druili felt herself shift and she placed her arms back inside, attempting to brace herself against the walls.

Everyone started screaming.

"BILBO!" Was the last thing she screamed as the barrel suddenly rolled and fell through the air.


	7. Hell hath no Fury

Chapter 7: Hell hath no Fury

As Druili rolled around in the barrel, two things entered her mind:

One, she was going to get her hands on Bilbo and Two, she shouldn't have eaten that apple in such a hurry.

As she screamed along with her friends and family, she shut her eyes in fear and also to try to eliminate the dizziness it brought her.

A few seconds flew by and suddenly, she felt the impact before the feeling of water washed over her. Her barrel had submerged and she remembered to hold her breath too late, accidentally swallowing and spluttering out the water that seeped in, panicking that she would drown.

She felt the barrel shift again and she bobbed up to the surface, coughing and trying to breathe great lungfuls of air. She opened her eyes and was met by a curtain of red. Hastily, she pulled as much of her hair out of her face as she could and clung back onto the edges of the barrel as it dipped from side to side, trying to steady itself.

She was grateful that the barrel was at least the right way up and only the bottom of her feet was covered with water.

She looked around and noticed the underground caverns and the walls and stairs around them. When they noticed the Dwarves were missing, they'd be able to find them down here. She hastily paddled to the wall and began to pull herself along behind some of the others.

"I'll bloody kill that Hobbit," she groaned and leant over the side of her barrel at the familiar pull in her stomach, vomiting promptly into the water.

Bombur twisted and turned in front of her and actually waited for her to finish before speaking.

"You shouldn't have eaten-"

"Bombur, DON'T YOU DARE," she wiped her mouth and spat out the last remnants of the apple. Suddenly, she looked around her and tried to count the heads.

"Is everyone here?!"

She turned when she heard another splash and spotted Bilbo a few moments later as he bobbed up above the water and clung onto Nori's barrel, the latter pulling him in close to help.

"Oh good, you're here," she sighed with relief and turned back around as she began to pull and paddle herself along again, "remind me to kill you later."

"Well done, Master Baggins," Thorin called out from the front of the party before signalling for everyone to paddle with earnest, "go! Come on, let's go!"

As they pulled and swam along, Druili stuck nearer the back. If she swam by Kili, she'd probably try to box his ears and she wanted to save that for on land.

As she paddled farther along, the flow seemed to finally be picking up and she found herself moving forward without much effort at all. And then she saw daylight up ahead.

"Finally!" She exclaimed and held onto her barrel, just enjoying the warmth the air was bringing in her way.

"Hold on!" Thorin suddenly cried and her entire body tensed.

"What, why-oh...bollocks," she saw the edge of the waterfall a few seconds before she went over it. Luckily, this time she remembered to actually hold her breath before she dropped and fell into the bottom.

As she bobbed up for the second time, she threw her head back with all the force she could, getting all of her hair out of her face. She looked to the side and groaned at the face she least wanted to see.

"How did I end up with you again?!" She grumbled at Kili and reluctantly twisted the barrel around when it decided to suddenly lurch and turn her away.

But she didn't get a chance to see what his reply would have been. The next moment, his barrel was violently knocked against the side of the rocks and he got caught in the current.

"Dru!" Kili's hand shot out as his barrel was pulled away and her frustration at his behaviour was forgotten as she saw the fear and concern in his eyes. Her own hand shot out and her body lurched forward, the barrel threatening to tilt into the water again with her weight pressed against it. But it was no use. Kili was already out of reach and being pulled farther ahead of her, down the stream.

"It's all right!" She called out to him, "We'll all end up in the same place anyway!"

Druili soon got the hang of 'steering' her barrel. By using her weight and pulling it to one side, she was able to navigate by rocks and sharp and sudden turns in the waterway. She pushed and propelled herself the best she could, attempting to catch up with a few of the others in the water. Some overtook her, but then others would fall back. She eventually managed to get ahead and found herself not only with her brothers and Uncle but with Bombur also.

And then, the horn sounded.

"Bloody Mahal!" She looked over her shoulder. In the distance, high above the rushing waters was an overlook and she could just make out the figures of Elves looking down upon them, "We must have made an impression on our hosts!"

She turned back around when she heard shouts and saw an outpost, littered with a few elves. They were guarding the bridges and Druili scowled when they began to run and gather themselves.

"They're bloody trying to block us in!" She watched as one elf ran towards a lever and pulled it down. Sure enough below the bridge where they would have made their escape, two doors closed with great clunking noises as the gears ground together.

Thorin gave a shout and hastily tried to reach the gates, but it was already too late.

As her barrel clunked against the others, she tried to squeeze herself past in the vain hope they could force the gate open.

The others soon joined them and Druili found herself clinging to both the barrel and the side of the bridge to prevent her from being shoved down into the darkness.

A deep, guttural growl made her snap to attention. She knew that noise.

"Watch out!" Bofur was looking above her and the next thing she saw was the body of one of the elf guards fall into the water, an arrow protruding from their back.

"ORCS!" She called out to make sure everyone knew the danger they were in. No weapons, no armour and trapped under a bridge and against a gate inside barrels. They weren't exactly prepared for a battle, but they'd have to make do with whatever they had.

"Come on! Make some space!"

"Get under the bridge!" Thorin himself was pulling the other barrels closer to him and the gate, hoping to force it open with the more weight they put against it.

More bodies began to fall in the water, Elves and Orc alike. One of the creatures fell onto the side of Druili's barrel and momentarily submerged her again. But this one was not dead. He scrambled up for air, clinging to the side of her barrel and she forced herself up and out, her legs now hovering above the rim until the barrel shot back up around her. The orc lunged for her but was stopped short when multiple hands grabbed him. His neck was quickly snapped and his body bobbed amongst the barrels. Soon, more Orcs fell amongst them and a full-on fight broke out.

Druili managed to snag a sword and slice open the throat of a creature, eagerly awaiting the next one that would try something.

"We have to get out of here!" Druili looked around and spotted Kili with an unreadable expression on his face as he looked above them, "Kili, what-"

She stopped and shouted after him. He had hoisted himself up and out of his barrel, clambering over the others and scrambled onto the surface of the bridge above.

"KILI, BEHIND YOU!" She screamed and luckily Kili was quick to move and dodge the beast that had planned to ambush him from behind.

Dwalin caught his attention and tossed him a sword. Her brother expertly twisted around and stabbed it in the chest. He managed to hit it onto its knees and kicked it, sending it tumbling into the water.

Druili managed to hoist herself up enough and grab the edge of the bridge, though she couldn't find it in herself to pull herself up WITH the sword in her hand, so instead, she clung on with one hand on the ledge and her feet balanced precariously on the edge of her barrel. She was going to try to keep her brother safe.

As he ran up the steps and encountered one Orc, another appeared behind him.

"WATCH YOUR BACK!" Druili shouted and whilst it wasn't an ideal throwing weapon, threw the sword with as much power as she could. She took out the ankles of the Orc in front of him and when it crashed to its knees, Kili shoved it over the edge and into the water also.

She momentarily lost her balance but righted herself, desperately trying to make sure her brother was ok. Just as he turned to the one facing him, another sword was thrown and embedded deep into the Orcs chest.

She chanced a look over her shoulder and smiled.

"NICE ONE, FI'!"

She didn't see his reaction. She turned back and watched as Kili took out another Orc hovering over him. Now, there were no more on the bridge or ledges approaching him.

As he ran to the lever, Druili felt a swell of pride.

"Yes, go on Ki-"

Just as he was about to climb the last section to grab the lever, an arrow flew through the air. And landed in his thigh, stopping him in his tracks.

"KILI!" She heard herself scream and tried to pull herself up the ledge to get to him, but her hands were still wet and she could feel her legs shaking against the strain of standing on the barrel.

From behind her, she heard Fili call his name also and watched in horror as her brother struggled to grab the lever. His hands were on it, but he cried out and keeled backwards.

She reached out her arm and frantically tried to get ahold him.

"Kili! Kili, it's all right!" She called to him and tried to find some leverage below to push herself up, "Get up, Ki! PLEASE-"

She heard another low growl sound from above and turned as another Orc appeared from the ledge. Druili didn't know what to do. Maybe if she could get Kili back over the side, she could have a go at the lever, but then that'd be risking-

There was a low whistle and the sight of the Orc suddenly flying off the side of the bridge stopped her train of thought. Still maintaining her grip, she looked behind her and saw that help had arrived from the most unlikely of places.

Tauriel came running down the steps, her bow ready as she took in the destruction around her. All her comrades lay dead or dying and the Orcs turned to her with great interest. A new arrow was placed in her bow and she fired it. But Druili did not see who or what she had hit. Instead, she focused on the elf maid who was unaware she was being hunted.

She did not see or hear the Orc come from behind her. But Druili did.

"BEHIND YOU!" She drew Tauriel's attention to her and saw the maid turn about and dispose of the creature quickly and swiftly. As she made her way along the bridge and towards the company, more Orcs appeared and began to target her. But she had not been so stupid as to come alone.

More of her comrades appeared and with greater swiftness and agility than she'd seen before, even in the forest with the spiders, they began to battle the Orcs.

Druili turned back and saw Kili watching her with great interest. Now was there only chance.

"Kili! Kili, LOOK AT ME!" She said with all the firmness she had learnt from her mother and sure enough, Kili's attention switched back to her, "Get the lever. Come on, Ki'. GET. UP."

It was almost as if seeing Tauriel had made him forget what danger they were in. He looked around and saw that it was safe. He scrambled up and used the steps beside him to hoist himself up and grab the lever. He lunged at it and pulled it down as he fell.

"You did it. All right, come on-" Druili felt the barrel move again, though this time with much greater force as the current began to move and take her with it, "KI'!"

Her hands slipped. She tried to hold on and maintain her grip but her feet left the barrel and soon, she fell backwards and down and away from her brother.

Strong arms grabbed her at the right moment and instead of falling backwards and painfully against the other barrels, her body fell straight into her own. Bofur let her go and she gave him a nod of thanks before turning her attention back to the top. Somehow, with her grip on the side of the rock and the other on her barrel, she stopped it getting swept up over the side. She wasn't going to leave without her brother.

"KILI, COME ON!" She called out. She saw him try to sit up, his legs swinging over the edge. Fili called out to him and luckily, both of Druili's and Fili's barrels were right by Kili. Now, they'd just have to make sure they could steer around the rapids and stay close by him.

He waited for his barrel to come by and with one push, jumped into his awaiting vessel. The arrow in his thigh broke off in the descent, catching on the edge of the barrel and Kili cried out as pain reverberated through him.

Taking her chance, she lunged and grabbed onto the edge of his barrel with both hands. If it was more dangerous and a hindrance, she'd let go. But as they fell over the rapids and both got submerged in the water again, she clung on even when they surfaced.

When their barrels seemed to have a momentary lull, she pulled his closer.

She looked over at his gasping form. He already looked tired and in great pain.

"Ki'," she reached out and tried to grab his shoulder, but could only manage his forearm, "Ki', look at me. Ki'!"

He didn't get a chance to. Suddenly, the Orc pack called from above. And the arrows began to rain down upon them.

Where her hand had been before, now lay the same type of arrow that was still half embedded in his leg. She looked at Kili.

"Keep down. Keep down and watch your hands!" And with great reluctance, she let go of him and his barrel, pushing him behind her of her. If the Orcs were ahead, then they'd be too busy firing at the moving target.

"OI!" She began to holler and scream above her, "SURELY YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT, YA' BAS-" Another waterfall quickly pulled her down and below the waves.

She came up coughing and spluttering and let out a shriek when another arrow suddenly appeared in her barrel.

She kept moving her hands around the edges and almost missed the figure ahead of her. Luckily, it stupidly let out a loud cry and she saw the Orc dive at her. With only her hands as weapons, she grabbed the arm where it held a sword and held on as the rest of the body twisted through the air. When it landed in the water at a bad angle, she quickly pulled and broke its arm. It didn't even get a chance to shriek as it went under the water and its grasp slipped from the hilt of its sword.

And now, she had a weapon.

Along the way as she navigated below and above the water, Druili sought out the moronic Orcs who dared to get too close to the edge of the cliff. She took off their legs, heads and arms. They'd either fall back on the rock they had been perched on, or tumble into the water after her.

It was very satisfying anger management and she was thoroughly enjoying herself after the time they'd had in the dungeons.

And then, she spotted Bombur. He had somehow gotten onto the land and also broken his barrel. But it was not off of his body. His arms were out either side, there was a perfect hole big enough for him to see out of and his feet had broken through the bottom.

He then began to slay over ten Orcs with just two swords and 'barrel armour' to his name.

As she moved farther down the stream, her focus was entirely on him and she kept turning herself to watch him.

Eventually, with more Orcs coming, he broke the rest of the barrel off of himself and ran ahead. One of the barrels that had come with them was unoccupied and he headed for that one. As he ran by faster than she'd seen him move, EVEN when chased by Beorn, she couldn't help but shout.

"BOMBUR, YOU'RE MY HERO!"

As her barrel shifted again, she found herself beside Bilbo as he perched on his own Barrel.

"Bilbo, here!" She reached out to him and grabbed his unsteady hand. Dropping the Orc sword into the barrel, she pulled Bilbo as hard as she could and he jumped off of his own.

Her arms came around him and somehow, they managed to squeeze him in with her pressed against his back. She reached down and grabbed her sword, accidentally brushing her hand up against Bilbo's leg as she did so.

"Sorry!" She was sure if this wasn't a literal life or death situation, he would have blushed and she would have laughed. But they had much more pressing matters at hand.

"You steer!" She raised her sword up and out and held onto one of his shoulders, "I'll do the fun stuff!"

From above, the Orcs tried to attack again but they were repeating the same pattern as the others. It was almost too easy for Druili as she got into the rhythm of almost smacking away the Orcs with the blade she had. They just dove for her and Bilbo and she supposed they thought sheer, brute force would win out. It would have done had she not had a sword and quicker reflexes than they had.

She despatched much quicker than she thought possible.

At one point, the Blonde Elf known as Legolas came bounding through the river, firing arrows and using the Dwarves heads as his own personal stepping stones so he could go from one side to the other fairly quickly.

Luckily for her and Bilbo, they were still farther back than the others, so he didn't get a chance to use them.

But his help was appreciated (she wouldn't voice it out loud, of course) as he sprang out and easily took down their hunters. Though Druili noticed his lack of thanks as Thorin saved his life from an Orc that would have surely slain him.

"That's gratitude for ya'," she grumbled out and finally, after noting the lack of enemies, tucked the sword back into the barrel and finally managed to sweep and pull her damp hair out of her face. Oh, what she wouldn't give for a hair tie of some kind. And yes, the Orcs were still giving chase by the side of the riverbank, but her hair was REALLY annoying her.

Eventually, the current was quicker than the Orcs and they were sent over a waterfall that the Orcs could not cross or get by. They had lost them, for now.

As the current slowed and the company began to relax, Druili nudged Bilbo.

"Bilbo, paddle with me please," she began to frantically paddle, her eyes fixed on one ahead of them, "I need to get to Kili."

Bilbo didn't say a word to her, but began to briskly paddle with her and in no time at all, she was by her brother. He was awake and paddling himself, but stopped when the two got close to him.

She grabbed onto the edge of his barrel and heaved herself up, grabbing both his shoulders as she looked at him.

"Kili?" She moved her hands to grab either side of his face and he had to steady both himself and his barrel as she didn't let him go, looking at his face for any more signs of injury.

His voice was husky and pained as he spoke, but he still managed a weak smile.

"I'm all right. Just feels like you and I had a fight and you won with one of your lethal kicks."

Druili managed to return his smile, but he could tell it was forced as it didn't reach her eyes like it normally did.

"Impossible, you wouldn't be conscious if it was one of my kicks and you'd be hollering and screaming."

"Dru," Bilbo placed a hand on her back, "we need to get to shore. I need you back in to paddle."

Druili was very reluctant to let Kili go, but he managed to prise her hands off and laid a brief kiss on each palm.

"Come on Piglet, let's get to the shore, Ok?"

Druili nodded, but as soon as she was back in her own barrel and her hands left him, she began to paddle with gusto, impressing both Kili and Bilbo. Of course, even when she went faster than the others, she kept looking back at him to make sure he was all right.

Their saving 'shore' was really a large gathering of rocks. It wasn't comfortable to crawl out or sit down on, but Druili could also be thankful for the fact that her hair could have a slight reprieve from the wet. She just prayed the weather didn't warm up suddenly, or her hair would be equivalent to that of Rhadagast's.

When Fili and Kili both scrambled out and walked away, she quickly took the time to ensure everyone else was out and accounted for.

When she grabbed Thorin's hand and helped him up, he quickly pulled her into an awkward and wet hug. She returned it briefly before they separated and she continued to help the others up and out of the water.

"Oh Dwalin, how is your head?"

He grumbled at her and pulled his arm away from her grasp, ignoring the smirk she sent his way. She didn't tell him about the black boot print on his skin, he'd find out soon enough.

"Bombur," she heaved the man up with as much force as she could muster and praised him, "YOU are a man of many mysteries and we need to talk."

He rubbed her head affectionately and sauntered off, probably to rid his backside of any splinters he'd gotten from the broken barrel.

When she turned around to see Bilbo standing behind her and helping everyone else out, she suddenly remembered something she'd promised. Grabbing him by his shoulders, she spun him to face her and grabbed his cheeks in her hands.

"YOU. Are a mad, BLOODY genius!" She smirked at him before diving forward and planting a firm kiss against his lips. Bilbo was so stunned he didn't even close his eyes. She pulled away just as quickly as she'd grabbed him and then, punched him in the shoulder.

"And I won't kill you today, but watch your back from now on!" She winked at him before walking off. She ignored any looks the others were giving her, especially Bofur who looked somewhat hopeful and said, "I-I helped too!"

Her good humour was spoiled however when she saw Kili fall down, his face contorted in pain as he clutched his thigh. She ran straight to him and pulled off a chunk of her tunic as she fell onto her knees beside him.

"Here," she shoved it into his hand and helped pull the fabric from his torn trousers, wincing as she now saw the wound close-up, ignoring the spurts of blood coming out. At some point, he must have pulled the remainder of the arrow out himself and now, his blood flowed freely. But it wasn't right. She could see that his blood was darker than normal. Almost as if it was tainted.

When he put pressure against it, he let out such a hiss that she had to look away from the wound. It made her stomach turn and she felt her lips quiver.

Bofur fell to the other side of him and must have thought the same thing, but Kili's pain quickly vanished and his cool expression tried to mask his suffering.

"I'm fine. It's nothing."

She glanced at Bofur and they both shared a look. She turned around and called for the back-up she needed.

"Fili!" She caught his gaze and signalled for him. He moved quickly and joined them, but not before Kili scowled at her.

"I said I'm all right."

She returned the sentiment with a glare of her own.

"You're a terrible liar. And you're bloody reckless," she couldn't control the slight wobble in her voice.

From behind them, their Uncle called the company.

"On your feet."

"Kili's wounded. His leg needs binding," Fili had already begun to try to nurse and dress the wound. Thorin wasn't having any of it.

"There's an Orc pack on our trail. We keep moving."

Druili knew he was right, but she also knew that unless Kili allowed himself to be carried, they weren't going to get far.

Even though she hated the sight of the blood, her hands stayed either side of his wound, holding apart the fabric hole so he and Fili could get to it. Her hands shook as his blood lay on her fingertips.

"To where?" Balin said, and Druili tried to focus on the conversation to calm her nerves.

"To the mountain. We're so close," Bilbo sounded hopeful.

"A lake lies between us and that mountain. We have no way to cross it."

"So then we go around."

"The Orcs will run us down, as sure as daylight," Dwalin interrupted, "We've no weapons to defend ourselves."

"Surely, we can find somewhere to get more? There has to be a way to get there!" Druili couldn't prize her eyes off of Kili's leg, but she managed to focus on Fili's hands as they made quick work in tying a length of Kili's torn tunic around his thigh. It wasn't suitable nor very effective, but it would make do.

"Bind his leg, quickly. You have two minutes," Thorin didn't sound too concerned, but then again he was thankful that Kili was alive and awake. Druili knew he didn't show his affection like the others, but it still irked her.

" 'You have two minutes.' Let him bloody come over here and bind this sufficiently in two minutes," she grumbled to herself and, forgetting that she was supposed to be helping, dug her fingers into Kili's leg.

"Ah! Dru!"

Her hands flew off his leg and she grabbed his cheeks, her face flooded with worry.

"Sorry! Sorry!"

Kili couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm fine, really Piglet. We'll get to a nice house and...you know...I'll flirt my into the heart of a kind maid who will bandage my leg properly," he ignored Fili's look but flinched when his brother tugged a little too hard in doing his knots.

Druili rolled her eyes but let go of his cheeks.

"That's all you bloody think about."

She settled back onto her knees, her hands on her own thighs this time as Fili finished his work.

"That will have to do," he looked at Kili and placed his hand on the top of his brown locks, "don't you ever do that again."

Kili made to argue, but Druili beat him to it.

"Don't you DARE. You are a bloody, reckless fool. And if one word of protest comes out of your pretty mouth, I'm going to-" She never got to say what she was going to do because they all heard Ori's cry.

Everyone turned and looked to see what the problem was. And there he was, poised above them with a bow and arrow and glaring down at them none too politely. A man they did not know and who did not know them, was armed and ready to kill.

"OI!" Druili stood up first and tried to get the man's attention, "Leave him alone!"

Technically, he hadn't done anything yet but she felt it necessary with the way he was looking at them.

Dwalin moved quickly. He blocked Ori from harm with a large stick clutched in his hands. He moved forward, ready for the attack but the bowman was quicker. He fired his first bolt into Dwalin's stick and Druili just knew that he meant to hit it in the spot where Dwalin's heart was. It was a warning shot.

Kili, still obviously feeling reckless suddenly stood and grasped a large rock in his hand. But again, the speed of this mortal man was impressive. He had a new arrow in his bow and fired it before Kili had a chance to let loose the projectile. Luckily, he only shot it out of his hand without damaging her brother, but Druili saw red.

"Do it again and you're dead-"

"PACK IT IN!"

The Bowman had only a chance to put in a new arrow but was stopped in his introduction by Druili's angry scream. In fact, the whole company stood frozen to their spot.

Fili and Kili were looking at their sister in horror. Somehow, in all the years she'd grown up with them in the house, Dis's anger had rubbed off on her. And they knew exactly what was coming.

Without any hesitation, she clambered over the rock and towards the Bowman, her fists clenched and her back straight. No one moved to stop her.

"You will just bloody stop it. Right. Now! We've had a hell of a time and I won't BLOODY PUT UP WITH IT, DO YOU HEAR ME?!" She came to stop in front of him, face now directly in the line of the arrow he was pointing at them all. She was in fact so close to it, that she surprised everyone when her hand shot out and grabbed the tip in her gloved hand.

The Bowman did not flinch or move away, but his eyes spoke volumes as he glared down at her.

No one could see the fire burning in her eyes except him. Her jaw was clenched tight and she didn't care how she looked to him. She didn't care about the sheer size of his stature compared to hers, nor did she really care about the weapon in his hand.

The anger that bubbled inside of her just took over.

"Now. We are lost. We need help. We are not here to fight. I'm going to let go of this arrow and YOU," she hissed at him, low enough so only he could hear, "are going to lower it, along with your bow. Do I make myself clear, young man?"

They stared at one another for what seemed like an hour. Eventually though, without taking his eyes off of hers, he nodded his head ever so slightly.

Satisfied, she slowly let go of the arrow and nodded back at him. He lowered his weapon just as slowly as she had released it.

"Good," she lowered her voice even farther, "now. I'm going to move away from you and back to my kin. If you try anything, I will break your backside over these rocks. Understood?"

She saw the tiniest flicker in his eyes. Was he...amused?

"Aye'," he said and she swore she saw the corners of his mouth twitch beneath his moustache. But she moved away then, shaking with rage. As she turned back, she looked pointedly at Fili and Kili, ignoring everyone else.

"Kili," she looked at her brother, "please don't throw anything else, all right?"

Kili just nodded and whilst he had been looking a little peaky to start with, he was considerably paler and wore an expression of pure terror. He hadn't even looked this scared when the orcs had attacked at the river.

She seemed satisfied and looked over their shoulders to see the company practically gawping at her. Except for Balin. He seemed interested in something else entirely.

"Excuse me but you're from Lake-town if I'm not mistaken," Balin approached the man, with his hands raised in surrender, though he needn't have bothered. The Bowman still had his bow lowered, "That barge over there it wouldn't be available for hire, by any chance?"

Druili felt her eye twitch at where this could be going.

She gritted her teeth, shut her eyes and took a deep breath in through her nose.

"I'm not getting on a boat with THAT git."


	8. New Hope

Chapter 8: New Hope

A short while later...

Druili was sulking. But she refused to even admit or acknowledge she was sulking. No, she was merely leaning against the side of the boat, by herself. Her arms were folded because she was comfy in that position and she was NOT pouting or glowering at a spot on the boat.

"'You can ride with us or swim, your choice'," she mocked the company to herself, mostly because she was the only person she wasn't mad at, "bloody...bloody arrogant males."

A clearing of the throat made her look up and see Bilbo standing a few feet from her, obviously in hearing distance. She scrunched up her nose and grimaced.

"No offence," she grumbled and rubbed at her arms, "It's bloody freezing."

After bartering and conversing with the Bowman, everyone had scrambled onto his boat. Druili had marched on with EXTREME reluctance. She was pretty sure, if it hadn't of been for Kili's small 'please Dru', she would have dragged her heels and made someone have to carry her on.

But the day was now ending and Druili had chosen to sulk/avoid the rest of the company. The Bowman was at one end, steering expertly and the others were at the other. Druili put herself smack bang in the middle and wouldn't talk to anyone for a few hours. She was at least thankful it was too cold for her hair to frizz out and dry properly. Instead, it hung heavily and lay damp against her shoulders and back.

But then it got too much. She kept sneaking glances at him as if waiting for him to suddenly attack or lead them into danger.

So she squared her shoulders, kept her back straight and walked over to him.

As she approached the Bowman, she glared at him. She had overheard him talking to Bilbo at one point and remembered that he had mentioned his name being 'Bard'. But she wouldn't trust what he said when it came to personal details. He'd been talking about his family before they left, but she just envisioned him alone in a hut and surrounded by empty bottles of ale.

He seemed relaxed now, almost pleased with the situation. But that just made her even more suspicious of him. Whilst the others had settled further down the boat, huddled together in hushed conversation and also for the warmth, she walked the short distance to the man they called Bard.

He glanced at her briefly but didn't say a word for a minute or two. Just letting her glare at him before he did speak and she swore he sounded amused.

"Are you perchance unhappy with this arrangement?"

Druili's jaw tightened and she got closer to him, glaring up into his face where she knew he could see her.

"I'm watching you," her warning tones fell flat when she gave a violent shudder.

"I can see that," his mouth twitched again as if trying to hide a smirk, "though, considering I'm ferrying you and your friends across the lake, I would suggest a bit more civility."

Druili's eyes flared again as she hissed in anger.

"Well, you fired an arrow at my brother. I think I've earned the right to be a little mad."

Bard actually did smile at her this time and she felt like kicking him. Hard.

"You remind me of someone," he chuckled more to himself than to her, but it still irked her something fierce.

"Oh, did you fire an arrow at their brother also?" She knew she was being childish, but she wasn't about to go easy and be all chummy with this man.

"No," for a moment his eyes flickered as if remembering something painful, "she didn't have any brothers to worry about."

Ok, so Druili felt that _maybe_ she'd poked a sore subject. He'd hinted at Balin that his wife was no longer living and Druili felt the tiniest pang of guilt. It felt like she'd been dunked back in the water when he continued.

"I apologise for shooting at your brother."

She almost smiled.

"But he was raising a weapon at me."

And then she growled and actually stamped her foot in frustration.

"Because YOU shoot an arrow at Dwa'!"

"It was a warning shot and he did threaten me first."

"Because you were pointing an arrow at us!" She knew her voice was very shrill when she screamed at him. But she didn't really care, her anger and frustration had sizzled up to the top of her head.

He smiled at her then and said in smooth and calm tones, "If you were alone and encountered Fifteen strange individuals, without knowing who they were and you had a weapon, would you not raise it as a warning?"

Druili was actually speechless for a few moments. Bard was trying not to laugh as she floundered on the spot, her mouth opening and closing a few times before she literally shook herself and pointed an accusing finger at him.

"You didn't think to ask if we were lost or needed help!"

Bard nodded at her as if in agreement, but completely negated the action with the simple words.

"I didn't know if you would suddenly band together and attack me on the spot. These parts are not particularly...hospitable."

Druili frowned so deeply at him, Bard did smile at her then. His eyes twinkled in amusement and he was about to tell her she looked just like one of his girls when he'd told them off, but she turned away with a grunt.

"Mahal, bloody-bloody males!" She grumbled as she stomped off. But instead of going back over to her solitary position, she walked all the way to the other end of the boat with the company. She cast a quick glance at him over her shoulder and whilst the shadows of the night seemed to obscure his features, she could tell he was still looking at her.

And smiling.

She wandered over to where Dwalin was leaning on a barrel and just huffed at him to get his attention.

"Why are males so bloody infuriating?!" She gripped the edges of one of the barrels and leant against it. She hadn't expected him to answer, really hoping for him to do his 'silent but deadly' glare, but instead, the infuriating bastard actually smirked at her.

"Keeps you on your toes."

She scoffed loudly and pushed herself away. She folded her arms again and decided to survey the landscape. Or try to. Through the icy waters, they moved and the fog had now thickened. She couldn't tell if night had come again or the weather in this place was just awful. But she also knew, the closer they got to Lake-town, the closer they were to Erebor.

_Home_.

"Watch out!" Bofur's cry caught her attention and she turned just in time to see the large rock they were heading for. She watched in awe as the looming obelisk suddenly moved. But of course, it hadn't moved. The boat had.

Bard had expertly diverted them to the side and began to weave around the waters. Druili spotted more standing stones and looked at them with great interest. Through the fog, they were such...interesting shapes.

These weren't rocks or standing stones at all. But remnants from a foundation that had once been destroyed.

She turned at Thorin's husky tone.

"What are you trying to do, drown us?"

Bard didn't seem the least bothered by his tone and continued to steer.

"I was born and bred on these waters, Master Dwarf. If I wanted to drown you, I would not do it here."

"...You're a great source of comfort, you know that?" Druili called to him and turned back to Dwalin, feeling that he'd at least have the sense to not answer back to her this time. But his eyes were on Bard.

"Oh, I've had enough of this lippy Lakeman," he turned the others behind him and lowered his voice, "I say we throw him over the side and be done with it."

Druili would have happily agreed, but unfortunately, her logical and fair side won out.

"No, it's not bloody fair," she sighed and rolled her eyes begrudgingly, "It's bowman's boat after all."

"Bard, his name's Bard," Bilbo groaned and shook his head as he tried to keep himself warm.

"How do you know?" Bofur was the one to ask.

"Uh, I asked him."

Druili couldn't suppress her snort or smile at the way Bilbo had so elegantly said that. He had become a little bolder and a lot more sassy since their journey began.

As the rest of the company began to quietly converse and talk about Bard, she slunk down next to Kili. His arm instinctively came up and around, pulling her closer to him to keep her warm. She shifted into the welcome embrace.

"Thanks, parasites."

Kili groaned but still managed a weak smile. He was still looking pretty pale and Druili avoided looking at his leg.  
"How do you feel?"

His tired eyes looked into hers and he shrugged.

"Like Mam's made us do all the hard work around the house and then we've gone tree climbing."

Balin interjected by asking everyone to turn out their pockets and she reached into her pouch and pulled out the one coin that lingered at the bottom. She expertly tossed it onto the table and continued to converse with her brother.

"And no apples as a reward," she placed her free hand on his good knee and gave it a squeeze, "I'm glad...I'm glad you're all right."

"I'm glad Tauriel was there. I'd be dead if it wasn't for her."

Druili managed to restrain her scowl. The way he'd said the Elf's name was so...sappy. But he was right, he would be if the others hadn't of been there. They all might be.

"Yeah, I suppose," she eventually admitted but bit her lip on the smile he forced out of her.

"There's a problem."

They looked over at Balin who was counting and recounting the coins laid out in front of him.

"We're fifteen coins short."

Kili turned back and arched his brow at Druili. She just sighed.

"Fiiiine."

Pushing his arm off of her, she reached deep into her tunic and whilst most of the company were perplexed and a little embarrassed to watch her rifling around in her top, most were curious as to what it was she doing.

After a few moments of struggling without looking down, she managed to pull her hand out again, this time clasping five coins in her hand. She reached over and passed it to Ori who passed it to Balin.

When she sat back, everyone was looking at her.

"...What?"

"You have STUFF in there?!" Fili looked at her as if she'd grown a second head.

"Of course I do," she smiled as she reached back down her tunic and secured the hidden button on the inside, so everything was shut up and secure again, "Mother made it for me."

"Ten coins now."

Thorin folded his arms and Druili watched him shift his gaze to one of the elder members of the company. The one they knew would come through.

"Gloin."

Gloin looked at Thorin in bewilderment.

"Gloin. Come on. Give us what you have."

Everyone turned to Gloin expectedly. Druili couldn't help but smile.

"Don't look at me."

"Gloin," Druili called him and gave him a sweet smile when she had his attention, "If you don't cough it up, I'm going to start helping you take your clothes off."

He had the decency to turn bright red and Druili started to laugh as he blustered.

"I have been bled dry by this venture. And what have I seen with my investment?"

Druili stopped laughing when she noticed everyone was now standing. Kili grabbed her arm and signalled for her to stand, though he was not looking at her. He was looking at the same place as everyone else.

She stood up and looked out whilst Gloin babbled on and then...it was there.

In the distance, behind the thick, grey fog was the shape of a mountain. It was the closest they had ever been and without anyone saying a word, she knew it was Erebor. The Lonely Mountain. The home of her ancestors.

"Oh, that's it," she whispered out and grabbed hold of Kili's arm, careful not to lean on him for support. Fili came up behind her and grabbed her other hand in his, clutching desperately.

"You're shivering," he whispered against her ear but she shook her head in response.

"It's all right, It's not the cold," she smiled at the mountain and for the first time, when she felt tears spring to her eyes, she didn't care. She was so happy.

"We made it."

"Bless my beard," Gloin's voice shook behind her and she heard the jingle of his money pouch he'd been hiding, "Take it. Take all of it."

Druili actually laughed but only turned around to look at Thorin's face. All the Dwarves were looking at the mountain but only he was seeing it for what he remembered. His eyes shining and the ghost of a smile on his lips.

The moment was quickly shattered when Bilbo cleared his throat and drew their attention to Bard, who had left his post and was walking towards them. Some turned away immediately, others lowered their gaze but bowed their heads. Druili turned her attention to Fili and smiled at him. He looked at her with warmth in his eyes and mouthed, 'Thank you', though she wasn't sure what he was thanking her for, exactly.

"The money, quick. Give it to me," Bard approached Balin and held his hand out. Druili turned back to him and sneered.

"Bloody Mahal, you waste no time."

"We will pay you when we get our provisions but not before," Thorin had composed himself and was back to being stern and almost intimidating. They had had a deal after all.

"If you value your freedom, you'll do as I say," Bard now looked nervous as he flicked his gaze behind them, indicating the dangers awaiting them, "There are guards ahead."

Everyone turned and Druili had to squint to see what awaited them. Through the fog was the ramshackle and make-shift houses that floated upon the waters. She'd heard of this place but no one spoke fondly of it.

Darkened, silhouettes of a town born from poverty, destruction and despair.

There was a part of the town where she had grown up that she had been told NEVER to go down. So of course when she'd turned twenty, she'd snuck down there was a long coat on, all by herself. It wasn't a pleasant place. Where she'd expected fights around every corner and people passing secrets and messages to one another in the shadows, she'd met those living in squalor. Barely enough food to put on the table. No wood for fires in winter. Clothes that had been patched together after years of wear and tear. She'd left and not returned, her sadness going on for weeks until she broke down and told Fili and Kili about it.

That part of town had luckily been given charity and it had been a much better place in the last few years.

But as Lake-town came closer, Druili's heart had felt that same tug. The pit in her stomach curling and forming outwards. This was not a place where they would be making friends and she knew without weapons and in their weakened states, they would fall easily.

The only thing they could do now was the one thing she hated doing and that was to trust Bard.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Squeezing back into the barrel was not desirable, especially when she had to squelch her feet back into the inch layer of water that was there. Cold, wet and hiding in a barrel were not how she envisioned journeying into Erebor.

The others seemed just as discontent as her, but they were all blabbing and whispering about what was happening outside around them. Druili made sure to keep her own voice low as she spoke through one of the holes in the barrel, courtesy of one of the many arrows that had been fired at them.

"You know, it'd be easier if you lot all stopped talking at once so we could bloody hear!" She waited for a couple of the murmurs to die down, but still could not hear what was happening outside, "can you lot shut it or be clearer?!

"No."

Of course, Dwalin's reply would be curt and to the point. She grumbled and switched her attention.

"Kili...Are you-"

"I'm FINE," he hissed back.

"All right, don't bite my head off-"

"Pack it in you two, it's not the time!" Whilst she couldn't see Fili, she could still picture his stern gaze.

As Druili struggled to listen the sound of chatter died down. Apparently, Bard was talking to someone and it looked like he was making a deal with them.

There was a hushed discussion that they were being betrayed and Druili was ready to scramble out of her barrel and confront Bard, but she never got the chance.

A loud, clanging sound followed by footsteps caught her attention and she looked up. It was like someone was dragging a long and heavy metal chain or-

Druili had only a second to brace herself when she saw the first creature fly at her. She restrained a cry when a whole barrage of fish fell into her bucket and began to cover her swiftly.

Her hands came up and she managed to make a big enough space so that her face was fish free. But that didn't stop the smell.

_'...Oh, Mother, I'm going to have a lot of baths when I get home.'_

As she felt the movement of the boat below her, she had to applaud Bard for his plan. Well, she would of if she could move her hands. But for now, she just had to listen to the sound of the others grunting and groaning in disgust around her.

But she didn't join in on the chorus because her stomach actually dared to growl at her.

Whilst Druili hadn't been particularly fond of fish, it had been a while since they'd eaten ANYTHING and her stomach did grumble. No one could see her...no one had to know. Wiggling her arms, she gripped one of the slimy creatures in her hands and brought it up to her lips.

"I'm not eating on it, I'm just...chewing it."

As she sat there with a fish in her mouth slowly munching on it, she started to contemplate her life choices. But thankfully she was distracted by the voices outside the boat. It was just unfortunate that it was difficult to hear clearly with fish in your ears. She had to laugh silently at how silly that sounded.

The conversation seemed to go on for a while and she swore she heard a voice yell something at some point, but she didn't think anything of it.

That is until her barrel suddenly moved. Spitting the fish out and somehow managing to get her arms to the side of her barrel, she braced herself. She felt a few of the fish that were covering her head tumble out and splash into the water below.

The tilting stopped. She was completely stiff and quiet as she waited with bated breath.

'_Please, Mahal...If... I just want one break. In my entire lifetime, I know I ask a lot of you, but... Please.'_

Thankfully, it seemed to work. She jostled slightly as the barrel was suddenly tilted back straight and she was righted. She kept her breath in when the light above finally shone through from where the fish had fallen out and she just hoped her hair wasn't visible. She felt the vibrations of many heavy footsteps depart and after a few moments, finally breathed out.

The feeling of the boat moving through the water had her almost sobbing in joy. They'd made it through the checks, the security and whatever it was that had been about to dump them in the water.

She allowed her body to relax as they continued on. How far more would they travel? Would they be able to get to the mountain tonight? She ruminated for the remainder of her journey in the barrel but stopped when she felt the motion still and she realised that Bard had docked again.

She waited for the signal. She just hoped it wouldn't be getting tilted violently again.

She heard a couple of loud thumps, followed by the sound of the company grumbling and calling out to one another. She pushed her arms out and over the edges, trying to wiggle her way free. Thankfully, two strong hands grabbed at her elbows and she latched onto the fabric as they heaved her out.

"Come on," Thorin looped his arms around her waist and back and they managed to awkwardly hoist her up and out of the barrel.

"Well, that was pleasant," she stood quickly and began to pick bits of fish off of herself. Quickly swiping at her hair, she just hoped a bass or tuna hadn't decided to hitch a ride in the mass of tangles that were forming.

As they banded together and followed Bard through the town, Druili couldn't help but look around at the people and places. It wasn't TOO bad. Whilst no one was smiling or laughing, she didn't feel hostility or negativity come from any of these people. No, those that paid enough attention and saw them merely looked curiously at the company of Fourteen Dwarves and one Hobbit.

She was at least thankful that Gandalf wasn't there also, he would have stuck out like a sore thumb.

_'I hope you're doing well, old friend.'_

There was no sign of fog or even bad weather but whilst the sun was still out, the sight of everyone dressed in warm bundles of clothes made Druili shudder and she covered her arms with her hands as they all walked on.

Bard stopped as he moved them along, making sure they were all accounted for.

"Keep your head's down, keep moving," he looked at Druili and managed a small smile, "Try to stay out of trouble. Quickly, now."

She never got the chance to scold him for that remark when another voice rang out, shouting amongst the crowd.

"Halt!"

The company stopped in the line and quickly looked. A few yards away at the other end of the market, stood a guard. And he was looking straight at them and pointing.

"Oi!" He shouted and went to take a step, but had to stop when someone crossed his path.

"Oh...Bollocks!" Druili cursed and knew what was coming. Thorin turned to the others and urged them to run.

"Come on, move."

"In the name of the Master of Lake-town, I said halt!"

_'Fat Chance!'_

They began to run now, ducking down low and weaving through the crowds and people. They dodged stalls and people with trolleys full of goods they were selling.

Druili thought they were making good time, but then another appeared at the front and in the haste to stop, a pile-up and huddle were created and no one could move.

They were packed in tight and trapped.


	9. New Friends and Old Secrets

Chapter 9: New friends and Old Secrets

"Get back! The other way!" Thorin yelled and tried to organise and shove everyone back to where they had come from. Unfortunately, the group was still packed in and trying to run in the one direction everyone had already been going. Everyone began to clamber and then, the guards attacked.

Where there had been two, more appeared and they charged at the company. But luckily, they were ready.

Druili pulled herself free of the scrum and hoisted herself up on a table. The woman behind it only looked a little shocked as this little Dwarrowdam suddenly flew by her and tackled the approaching guard.

Druili's body hit the man's full force and he tumbled quickly to the floor. Winded, he tried to shake himself back awake, but she was quicker. She straddled his chest with her knees and her fist collided with his nose and she heard a satisfying snap as his head rebounded off of the floor below.

She never got a chance to celebrate however, when strong arms grabbed her around the waist and hoisted her through the air.

"Get off!" She called out and thrashed wildly, trying to turn herself around in his arms. She felt him stumble and try to maintain a grip on her and as he twisted his body around, she looked for a weapon.

Where the woman had been before, lay an assortment of pots, pans and skillets. She reached out and grabbed the handle of one.

"I said," she clasped the handle in one hand as she looked over her shoulder at him, "GET. OFF."

With one satisfying swoop, the metal connected with his skull with a pleasing 'Thwack!' sound. His arms fell away from her waist and she landed on her feet. His body fell to the floor and the woman at the stall kicked him away, hiding him under the table.

"Thank you," Druili got her attention and tossed the pan her way, which the woman caught with a small smile, "these are really good! I might come back and buy one!"

The sounds of the company still fighting behind her spurred her on and she dove again for another guard. But Fili and Kili had already tripped him up with a rope, so as he crashed to the floor with Druili on top, her elbow curved into the back of his head and knocked him out as she tumbled to the floor.

She sat up and smiled at her brothers as the last of the guard's bodies were pulled into the shadows and corners of the market stalls.

"That wasn't so hard."

"There's more coming!" Nori hissed and she rolled her eyes at the glare she received from Fili and Kili.

"I didn't bloody jinx it!" She whispered and scrambled quickly on her hands and knees for cover.

The traders and people around them began to behave normally. Walking around like they hadn't just seen or helped dispatch their own town guards. Druili hid behind the stall with the woman and the assortment of pans and goods on her table.

The woman passed her down a pan and Druili took it with a smirk.

"Stay where you are. Nobody leaves!" A voice called out and she had a feeling it was the head guard, coming to look for his missing comrades.

Bard walked by her from his hiding place and casually strolled into the man's view.

"Braga!" He called out in friendly tones, though Druili had a feeling it was only an act, "Sorry?"

"You. What are you up to, Bard?"

As they began to converse, Druili suddenly felt a hand on her leg. She looked over and saw the guard she'd knocked out with the pan beginning to stir. She cursed his thick skull. And she couldn't hit him with the pan because the sound would surely attract the others.

So she discreetly tugged on the woman's skirt to get her attention.

The woman glanced down and saw him and turned back atop. The next thing Druili saw, was a small potted plant fall off of the side of the table and land right on top of the guards head. The sound wasn't loud enough to attract attention but it did the job as the guard then sunk back into what she could only assume was a painful sleep.

"Nice one!" She half-mouthed, half-whispered above her and hoped the woman had really good hearing. The next thing that was tossed down was an old and bruised apple. But Druili could have cried out with joy as she caught it and quickly shoved it down her tunic, tucking it inside her leather holster. She definitely underestimated this town and the people here. She was also DEFINITELY considering coming back for that pan.

As Braga seemed to be coming to the end of his tether with Bard, the company quietly began to sneak around and away, using the townsfolk and whatever they were carrying as cover.

"Who says it's just Hobbits that go unnoticed?" She smiled behind her at Bilbo, who returned it with his own nervous smile.

Bard had successfully gotten rid of Braga and his guards and joined them as they began to wander. He led them further and further down an alleyway, passed the markets and closer to homes and apartments.

Just as she thought they were in the clear, a small boy appeared from around a corner, running straight for Bard.

"Da! Our house is being watched!" The boy panted as he came to a stop in front of Bard.

Druili actually felt like pulling and tugging out her hair as she growled.

"BUGGERING BOLLOCKS!" She snarled out and the others turned to her and she immediately regretted the outburst just by the looks of shock, "sorry-it's-it's been a long day, okay?"

She caught Fili's eye and wanted to slap him as he tried not to laugh.

"I have an idea," Bard said, but he was looking at the water. Druili didn't like his look.

"Are we going bloody swimming?!" She was only just drying off and the frost was starting to make her clothes go stiff.

"...I think you'll find this the lesser option." She did not like Bard's hesitation. At. All.

XXXXXXXX

"Dru, I-"

"Don't. Don't say a word, Fili. Don't you say anything," she turned to him in the water and her eyes bore into his, "You don't say a word now...or ever. We NEVER mention this. To Anyone. Ever. Understood?"

She didn't wait for his reply but turned back around as they half-swim and half pulled themselves along using the foundation above to hoist themselves.

Bard had guided them into the water and given them specific directions to follow. Unfortunately, his directions had concluded with, 'And at the end, you will see where our toilet is. I and Bain will be there to help you.'

Druili had been the one to squeak, 'Toilet?!'

As they finally seemed to reach their destination, one by one they hoisted themselves up and into Bard's house. They were not alone.

"Da...why are there Dwarves climbing out of our toilet?" A girls voice called out from above, but Druili was too busy to look at her. Or, she daren't look at her whilst she was still trying to clamber out of the toilet herself.

As she plodded along behind the others and revelled in the warmth of the house, she kept her eyes stuck on the back of Dori's head. She really didn't need to see if the children were smiling or laughing at them, lest she react violently.

"Will they bring us luck?" Another voice called out, almost gleefully. Druili just rolled her eyes and grumbled quietly.

"I'll bring you bloody luck."

As they were herded up the stairs, Bard directed his children to gather all the spare blankets and clothes they had in the house.

Druili stood in front of the fire and hastily wrapped a blanket around herself. She looked around as the others were given tunics and shirts and had a momentary image of horror at the thought one of the girls would give her a dress to wear. She shuddered and then remembered her pouch was still attached to her. She also remembered it was tightly sealed and waterproof on the inside.

She undone the laces and buttons and reached inside and sure enough-

"Yes!" She grasped the material at the bottom and yanked out the clothes that had been laying at the bottom for a while, "Thank you, Eilonwy!"

She was so caught up in her joy, she didn't see the few faces turn at her outburst. She did, however, notice the purposeful coughs and clearing of throats when she threw off her blanket and attempted to take off her tunic also.

She looked up and whilst she hadn't been too fussed about the company seeing her undress, she spotted Bard and Bain in the corner, still passing out clothes and blankets to those that hadn't got any yet.

"Okay, that might be pushing it."

A hand landed on her arm. The smaller child (Bard had called her Tilda?) smiled down at her.

"You can come in here and dress," she turned and led the way to a back room that was covered with a clean sheet.

Druili followed the girl through the hallway and walked by as the girl held the sheet for her to pass.

The room was clean and simple and two small beds with two large trunks at the bottom were the only pieces of furniture visible. Everywhere else though, seemed to be decorated with dolls or hanging flowers.

She quickly stepped over to one of the trunks and made quick work of her clothes, not realising the other girl had followed her in with her older sister.

"Do you want some tea?" The elder girl (Sigrid?) still seemed nervous, but her father had obviously taught her the importance of being polite to guests.

"Yes please," Druili looked over her naked shoulder and kept her back to the girls as she unlaced her wet trousers, "That would be greatly appreciated."

She felt as though she should be extra polite to these girls since she'd gotten off to a bad start with their father. She just hoped he wouldn't tell them she shouted at him and grabbed his arrow...and then threatened him on his own boat.

With her legs bare out and her shoes kicked off, she quickly pulled her tunic over her head and revelled in its warmth and softness. It even smelled like Rivendell. Had it really been so many months ago since she'd been there? She felt a sudden sadness in her heart at the idea of never being able to go back there again, not just for the beautiful scenery but for the friend she had made, albeit briefly.

"That's beautiful."

She was pulled out of her daydreaming by the hushed declaration behind her. She quickly grabbed the trousers but carried on conversing over her shoulder.

"Aye, made in Rivendell," she knew the response she would get and wished she could have turned around properly to appreciate their looks of astonishment. But she was sort of busy trying to hurriedly get her trousers on to cover her cold and bare backside.

"Elven sewn?!" Sigrid gasped.

"Oh yes," Druili eventually managed to pull her trousers up to cover her dignity and she turned to face them as she began to lace the front, "made by a dear friend."

She noticed Tilda was staring at her head with a bemused expression.

"Urm...Tilda, are you all right?" She hoped she hadn't gotten their names mixed up, but luckily Tilda returned her gaze with a nod and quizzical look.

"Do you want me to help with your hair?"

Druili tried not to frown.

"It's going to be difficult to get a brush through it. It's a tough bugger," she saw Sigrid's own eyes give her a disapproving squint and realised that maybe she shouldn't swear in front of the little one. But the elder girl seemed to have had her fill of looking at Druili's clothes and quickly left to make good on the promised tea.

"You have a bit of fish in your hair."

Druili reached up and patted all over her hair, searching but seemingly unable to find what the girl was talking about. She gave up and smiled at her.

"Well...all right then. I'd appreciate your help," she watched the girl quickly open and search inside the trunk at the bottom of her bed (which was the one decorated with the tattiest makeshift dolls). She pulled out a brush and some ribbon and Druili thought she hid her scowl very well.

"Come here," Tilda, who may have been sixty years her junior had grabbed Druili's shoulders and was guiding her like a little child, "sit there."

Druili sat herself down at the end of the other bed. She'd been manhandled by a lot of people recently, but never by a _child._

Still, as she sat there and Tilda clambered onto the bed behind her, she supposed she could humour the small human for a while. She just really hoped the bow wouldn't be too noticeable or she'd have to murder Fili and Kili before they could make a comment about it.

"There, all done."

Druili's eyes snapped out and she jolted herself awake. She'd been surprised by not only the gentleness of the girl as she helped clean and brush her hair but by how soothing it was to have someone else do her hair for her. She'd remembered being giddy with excitement as Eilonwy had pulled out odds and ends from her hair, but with Tilda, the girl had literally sat humming to herself as her gentle and small fingers worked in and out of her curls and tangles.

Druili turned around and nodded.

"Thanks, Lass."

As Druili stood, her hand automatically came around to check out the damage inflicted upon her. Luckily, the ribbon itself was not noticeable and Tilda had tied it very securely a the bottom, the bow itself small and knotted.

Her hair was together in a fishtail braid and she knew it wouldn't stay put long but for now, as she let it dry and hang down her back she was indeed thankful it was no longer in her face and fish free.

She turned to see Tilda scramble off the bed and tidy her things away.

"I suppose I best see how the others are getting on," she grasped the edge of the curtain that blocked off the door from the hall and held it back, "Thanks again, lass."

Tilda gave her a curious look.

"If I make a wish, will-"

"No, no...you're thinking of something else, sweetheart," Druili smiled but couldn't name what it was the girl was thinking about. She also had to hide her eye roll when Tilda walked out first, pouting.

As she made her way along the hallway, she remembered the item in her leather holster and quickly fished it out when Tilda wasn't looking. She bit into it with relish and was only slightly disappointed when she felt no satisfying crunch against her teeth, but only the soggy bits of a bruised apple.

Still, her growling stomach seemed to be happy.

As she walked back into the clustered room, a few of her kin turned at her entry. Bilbo gave her a shy smile and Nori an approving nod. Dwalin and Thorin however did not look best pleased with her choice of clothes, but she ignored them. If they really had a problem, she would happily swap clothes with them and she knew they would decline and just grumble like old men.

She walked over to her brothers, finished her apple again with haste and pulled the blanket around Fili so it was covering his front.

"Well," Kili got her attention with a husky and strained tone, "don't you look different."

Druili turned and looked at him. She couldn't grant him a smile, nor could she really reply with something light-hearted. He looked awful, but he'd already bitten her head off once today for asking if he was ok. So she just nodded and turned back to trying to get Fili warm.

"Yeah," she tried to sound aloof. She threw the apple carcass in the fire and watched it burn and wither away into nothing.

When Fili stopped shuddering and nodded at her, she left him to get changed into his warm clothes, knowing he wouldn't appreciate her babying him. She wandered over to Thorin who was staring in awe out the small window of Bard's house.

"A Dwarvish windlance," he whispered and whilst she wasn't sure if he was talking to himself or her, she came to stand beside him.

She'd heard tales about such devices and one imparticular from the story of the destruction of Dale and taking of Erebor. This must have been the one that attempted to stop Smaug when he was destroying the city.

Her hand came out and unseen caught his. She gave him one firm squeeze and smiled at him when he squeezed back. His eyes caught hers and gave a small, reassuring nod as she let her fingers slip away.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," Bilbo, still wrapped in his blanket and with two cups in his hands came to stand by them. He offered one to Druili and she took it eagerly, allowing the warmth to spread over her palms and fingers.

"He has," Balin joined them also and told Bilbo in gentle and hushed tones, "The last time he saw such a weapon...a city was on fire."

Druili turned back to Thorin and wished she could grab his hand again, his eyes telling her all he felt. So much pain in one awful, long-ago memory.

"It was the day the dragon came. The day that Smaug destroyed Dale. Girion, the Lord of the City rallied his bowmen to fire upon the beast. But a dragon's hide is tough. Tougher than the strongest armour. Only a Black Arrow fired from a windlance could have pierced the Dragon's hide. And few of those arrows were ever made. The store was running low when Girion made his last stand. "

Druili reached up and tentatively placed her hand against Thorin's shoulder. She could imagine it all. She could see all that happened. And she watched as Thorin's sadness and pain melted away to reflect his anger.

"Had the aim of men been true that day much would have been different."

"Uncle-" She began, but was interrupted when Bard came over and joined in, having obviously heard part of the conversation.

"You speak as if you were there."

Druili dropped her hand. Bard still believed them to be Dwarves travelling to the Iron Hills and it would no do for their cover to be blown by the comfort she was trying to give Thorin.

"All Dwarves know the tale," Thorin managed to cover their tracks, but Bard's son stepped forward, looking displeased.

"Then you would know that Girion hit the dragon," his glare spoke volumes and Druili was confused by his accusatory tone, "he loosened a scale under the left wing."

Her gaze flickered to Bard's face but he was not looking at them anymore. He looked as if he had heard this story many, many times before. He looked...so tired all of a sudden.

"One more shot and he would have killed the beast."

Dwalin's laugh broke through and he stepped forward.

"That's a fairy story, lad. Nothing more."

For some reason, this made Druili mad. She wanted to tell him to shut it just by the looks on Bard and Bain's faces, but she didn't know why. What were they not telling them? Why defend a man so long dead?

Thorin stepped forward then, away from Bilbo and Balin and looked up at Bard.

"You took our money. Where are the weapons?"

Bard was silent for a moment as he looked down at Thorin. His face was like stone and Druili found that she hated not being able to read him as easily as she could read others.

Finally, he spoke.

"Wait here."

As he wandered away through the house, back to where they had ventured out of the toilet, Druili threw a look at Dwalin. He raised an eyebrow at her but she just tried to convey 'watch what you say' with her eyes, signalling that what he said upset Bain. He merely scoffed and walked away.

She calmly chose that moment to sip her tea and allowed the hot fluid to run down her throat and into her stomach, before sighing and looking directly at Bilbo.

"Bloody males."

He only smiled at her and she felt her lips twitch at the corners as she took a hearty gulp of the warm liquid.

Thorin called Balin, Druili, Fili and Kili over to the window. His arms were folded and he kept his voice low.

"Tomorrow begins the last days of Autumn."

"Durin's Day falls the morn after next. We MUST reach the mountain before then," Balin sounded urgent and looked around the small group.

"And if we do not? If we fail to find the hidden door before that time?" Kili looked around quickly to make sure none of the others were listening, least they hear the uncertainty.

"Then this quest has been for nothing."

"We'll not fail, you two. I know we won't," Druili shook her head and felt that small bubble of determination in her grow and rise. They were so close now and they couldn't fail.

They turned when they heard footsteps approach and Bard appeared before them. He had brought with him a long and wet sack that he carried over his shoulder. Druili wondered if he'd been hiding it in the water for long. Planning a rebellion? Awaiting a possible attack?

He threw the sack on the table and everyone in the company huddled around the table to watch as he untied it.

She was expecting spears and swords, but what she saw was more like a variety of ...stuff. A collection of...tools? Hammers, fishing equipment, stuff that she hadn't seen before. Creations that looked as though they'd been made and welded together from two different things. She was definitely intrigued.

Thorin and Dwalin were the first to reach out and pick out stuff.

"What is this?" Her Uncle asked, inspecting a long piece of wood with multiple hooks at the end.

"Pike Hook. Made from an old harpoon."

Druili reached out, but Kili surprised her with his quickness when he picked up the hammer she'd been looking at.

"And this?" He enquired.

"A crowbill, we call it. Fashioned from a smithy's hammer."

"Bugger, I wanted that," she grumbled and Kili dared to actually wink at her. If his leg wasn't in so much pain, she would have kicked him.

"It's heavy in hand, I grant but in defence of your life, there will serve you better than none," Bard observed the company as they all began to pick up the various items on the table.

Druili found a small spear-like item and juggled it a couple of times in her hands, testing its weight.

"Good thing I practised," she threw a pointed look at Fili and Kili but turned back when Gloin barked at Bard.

"We paid you for weapons."

"And we've got weapons. Just...a little different," Druili hoped she wasn't the only one to see the positive in all of this, but from the looks around the room, she had a feeling she was.

"Iron-forged swords and axes!" Gloin continued unsatisfied by the hammer he held in his hands.

"It's a joke," Bofur threw his own tool back down on the table and for the first time in their journey, she really wanted to scold him and tell him to grow up.

Everyone began to throw their weapons back down on the table, but Druili actually used the spear she had to lean on. It gave her an idea.

"Ki, hold this would you?" She passed it on to Kili and pointedly made him take it on his right side so that he ended up leaning on it with his leg. He didn't see her satisfied expression, but he did seem relieved to have something to balance against.

The argument around them continued.

"You won't find better outside the city armoury. All Iron-forged weapons are held there under lock and key," Bard tried to be reasonable, but he missed the look that Thorin and Dwalin shared when he told them the whereabouts of the proper weapons.

_'Oh bollocks, I know that look.' _

"Thorin," Balin who was always the voice of reason got her Uncle's attention, "Why not take what's on offer and go?"

"I'm in agreement with Balin. These weapons WILL do us-"

"Nobody asked for your opinion," Thorin interrupted Druili and months ago, she would have shut her mouth and turned away, but instead, she scowled at him.

"No, but I'm a member of this company and I'm ENTITLED to my opinion."

That seemed to shut Thorin up.

"I've made do with less. SO have you. I say we leave now," Balin was actually making good points and looked around at everyone for agreement, but it was Bard who interrupted this time.

"You're not going anywhere."

Druili's blood ran cold.

"Oh, you shouldn't have said that," she looked at Dwalin's face as it contorted into quiet fury.

"What did you say?"

"Told you," she took a step back at the way Dwalin looked at Bard, ready for a fight but the man just continued.

"There are spies watching this house and probably every dock and wharf in the town. You must wait till nightfall."

As the company began to settle and grumble, the restlessness spread. But Druili just frowned and turned to Fili.

"We're going to have to go through the toilet again, aren't we?" She groaned when he shrugged, knowing that was not a yes, but not a no either.

She heard Kili move with the spear, dragging himself back to the sofa by the window. She watched him lower himself down and his gaze was stuck on a spot on the floor as he concentrated. She could see him trying his hardest to keep it together, but even as he sat back he couldn't stop the grimace as the pain finally seemed too much for him.

His gaze wandered down to his bandage and she knew that whatever the Orcs had fired him with, was no ordinary arrow.

She wandered over to him and sat the other side, her eyes boring into his head.

"Don't. Don't tell the others. Don't say anything," he told her in hushed, worried tones. She was mad at him, that was true. But he was still her brother and the way he looked at her tightened her resolve.

"I won't say anything. But if it gets worse," she glared at him and lowered her voice to a menacing tone, "you WILL let the others look at it. Do I make myself clear?"

He nodded at her and with one hand still clutched on the wooden shaft of the spear for support or just something to grip onto, his other hand found hers and gave it a squeeze. It was by no means as firm or as strong as it usually was and she shut her eyes as she tried to quell her anger and frustration.

That powerless feeling returned. And whilst she could easily do something about it now, she also knew that upsetting Kili whilst he was in this state was not a good idea.

Bard had excused himself from the house and he hadn't been gone long, before the unrest broke out. The hushed conversations. The sun was setting and as the last rays began to set, Druili began to pace.

She knew Thorin and Dwalin had hatched a plan. She saw the way their eyes lit up at the word 'town armoury' and now it was just the waiting game. And that's the part she hated the most.

After pacing back and forth and attempting to relieve her anger with deep breathing, she finally cornered Fili and made him sit in a chair.

'You look tense,' she simply stated before pounding away on his shoulders. He squirmed and wiggled as she grabbed his shoulders, stuck her knuckles under his shoulder blades and pinched his muscles sharply with her forefingers and thumbs.

"Ah! You're so heavy-handed, gently!" Fili eventually leaned too far for her to reach him, "I am going to be the king one day!"

She just growled at him and marched away.

"Oh, you big baby, have Kili do it!"

She stood in the room and glanced around. Almost everyone was either resting, eating or conversing.

Except for one.

She stomped over to Dwalin, who had managed to extract himself from Thorin's ear long enough and was seated by the fire.

"Dwalin, Can I knead your back?" Whilst it was a request, the way she said it made it sound more like a command. Dwalin cocked his eyebrow, nodded and with a grunt asked her why?

Druili went behind him and eagerly started to repeat the process of beating Dwalin within an inch of his life.

"I need to outlet my anger and there's no trees nearby and I don't think Bard or his children will appreciate it if I destroy stuff in their house."

With each hard punch or grope of Dwalin's back, Druili grunted and let out what anger and frustration she was filled with. By the end of it, the sun had finally set beyond the horizon and light outside was dimmed back to a murky blue.

Druili stepped back and took a long, deep inhale through her nose.

"Ahhh, that's better," she said on the exhale and gave an appraising slap to Dwalin's back, "thanks for that Dwa', I feel a lot better...Dwa? Dwalin?"

She moved around him when he did not respond and found him fast asleep in the chair. She'd apparently made him TOO relaxed.

Thorin came over and glanced between them, raising his eyebrow at Druili. She put her hands up defensively and gave him a sweet smile.

"I can't help it if I'm good at massage," she wriggled her fingers at him and was surprised at his small chuckle, "blame Mam. She's the one who got me into kneading all that dough. Wonderfully light bread, remember?"

They laughed together, but Thorin's grin disappeared and he walked around Dwalin to stand in front of her.

He looked at her, his eyes full of sincerity as he spoke.

"I'm sorry I spoke to you that way. You are entitled to your opinion and I-"

"You were...Well, YOU," she brought her hand up to his cheek and stroked away a tendril of hair, "and you weren't happy with the weapons. It's understandable. Plus, I've had to put up with your moody and grumpy emotions for a while. I think I can handle you in a fight."

His eyes flickered as he remembered the original reason he had come over to her.

"We have to go," he looked over her shoulder and she knew he was looking out the window at the darkened sky, "time is short."

With a nod, she mouthed 'I know' and moved back to Dwalin as Thorin began to get the rest of the company ready.

She leant forward and blew one short and quick breath out her mouth and into Dwalin's ear. He jolted awake.

"What the bloody-"

"Evening," she quickly moved away from him before he had a chance to grab at her, "time to wake up and get your boots on."

As she made her way to the others, she cast a look at the children. Sigrid and Tilda were busying themselves in the kitchen, cooking something up that smelled delicious and Druili felt a pang of guilt. They didn't know who they were or what they were planning to do, and yet they'd welcomed them into their home and whilst their father was not there, they were wonderful little hosts to them.

So she had to turn away from their faces when Thorin spoke, knowing the expressions they would pull.

"We're leaving," Thorin had already prepared the others and they stood, ready to follow their king.

The children immediately called out and gathered around them. Bain was actually trying to put himself between the stairs and the Dwarves, whilst the girls urged them not to leave.

"It's still early, just wait until Da-" Sigrid wrung her hands nervously and looked among the faces for anyone that would listen. Druili avoided eye contact and tried to keep her head low.

"We need weapons. Real weapons," Thorin's voice was calm but firm, "and time is short, we must leave now."

Unperturbed by Bain and Sigrid's cries, the company moved and began to descend the stairs. Druili would have gone also had it not been for the sharp cry by her side.

"Wait!"

She turned and looked up at Tilda's face. The little girl's arms came out and caught her in a fierce and tight hug. Druili froze and ensure what to do, just let the girl hug her.

"Come back soon!" The Girl whispered next to her head and wouldn't release her. Druili had a feeling she was waiting for some sign of affection so she brought her arms around and gave her a few pats on the back.

"Urm, thank you."

Finally, satisfied that Druili had acknowledged the hug, Tilda pulled away and turned back to Sigrid. When Druili felt a small poke at her back, she glared over her shoulder at Kili.

"I don't know," she whispered to him genuinely confused, "I just let her braid my hair."

Yet when they made their way back down and into the toilet, Druili did tuck her braid into her tunic, very protectively.

XXXXXXX

Night had fallen. It was easy to sneak by things when you had the shadows to hide in. The guards didn't think it necessary to look down a lot of the time, so that too was easier.

As they walked along the quiet docks, they avoided anybody who came along. They couldn't be sure who was friend, foe, guard or spy.

"As soon as we have weapons we make straight for the mountain," Thorin whispered as they stopped behind a boat and began to push the others in front of him, "Go, go, go."

Finally, they came upon the building where the armoury was. They could hear distant but steady chatter from a group on night watch. Druili observed how the only way in was an open window about two levels high. But Thorin had an idea.

Thorin split the group in two. With the majority that would stay behind, they would form a small sort of stairway to held the others get up. Unfortunately, even with that lot piled as high as they could go, there was still a small gap to jump.

Thorin went first. He managed it without a problem and as he reached over the ledge, his body disappeared into the darkness.

There was a moment of silence as they waited.

His head popped back out and he nodded, waving his arms for the rest.

Druili ran next. She felt a little sorry for having to land her feet in the more delicates parts of the company, but as she reached the ledge herself and hoisted herself over with ease, she was surprised just how BOUNCY some of the member's guts were.

When she joined Thorin in the room, she immediately turned to the window and signalled to the others.

Bofur, Nori, Bilbo and Kili all joined them, though the latter had to have a hand (albeit reluctantly) as he clambered inelegantly over the ledge and then pretended to shrug off his pain. Druili grit her teeth and turned away from him. If he wanted to be a stubborn dunderhead, then she wasn't going to stop him.

The walls were lined with an assortment of weapons. Axes and swords of varying shapes and sizes shone in the moonlight. Whilst this time didn't exactly seem ready for a full out war, they were prepared well enough.

The others began to gather what they could for those waiting outside, Kili offering to carry it to them. Druili just rolled her eyes and switched back to the swords. She'd remembered Thorin's comment about her technique and now, with her hammer gone for what seemed like for good, she thought it was as good a time as any to switch her weapons.

Still, as she picked up a small sword and twirled it expertly around her, the weight and feel of it were very foreign to her. She held it out in front of her, letting the blade dance as the moon shone.

"You'll have to do-"

A loud clatter and yell made her spin around, sword raised and ready. But there was no need for attack. Her brother's legs disappeared a second later as he tumbled down the stairs and Druili dropped her sword on the floor as she ran to him.

"Ki'!" She cried out and reached the top step. Looking down at his prone figure below, his face contorted in pain and the weapons now scattered at the bottom of the staircase. Her heart was pounding in her chest and she would have gone down and immediately berated him on his pig-headedness when a sound made her freeze.

Shouts. Heavy footfalls heading towards them. Thorin's own cry to ready themselves.

They'd alerted the guards.


	10. Duty and Affection

C10: Duty and affection

Druili acted instinctively. She jumped over the railing of the stairs and landed a few steps below Kili, her braid flying out of the back of her tunic. He managed to sit up by himself and looked at her, his face full of shock and horror at what he had done.

"Get up!" She hissed and made to grab him, but was stopped when her head was suddenly and violently tugged backwards. She managed to keep her footing as she fell away from Kili and her hands immediately grabbed onto the chunk of her braid that wasn't being held. With a firm grasp, she managed to turn herself around enough to see a familiar face.

Braga. The guard from the market that Bard had thrown off was leering down at her, but he wasn't the one holding her braid. The guard next to him was.

"Get your filthy hands off of me!" Druili shouted and her fighting nature took over before she could stop it. Her leg came out and landed a swift but effective kick on the guard's shin. His hand let go of her hair as he began to comically hop around and she took a step back, her hands raised and ready to fight.

"One more move and he's dead."

She spun around and saw another guard had appeared by Kili, a dagger now pressed firmly to his throat. Kili looked terrified, but remorseful. He shouldn't show weakness, but right now he was at fault. And Druili knew that even if he had begged and pleaded with her to fight every single one of the bastards, she couldn't.

She just looked at him as her hands dropped to her sides and her fists unclenched themselves.

Rough hands grabbed her again and she felt a blade pressed against her own throat. For a moment, Kili's eyes seared with rage at the sight but there was no time to dwell on it.

"Let's take them to the master," Braga commanded and soon they were all gathered and marched outside.

Sure enough, the guards had captured the entire company. No one was bound, but they were all piled into a group and quickly made to march through the docks. People, awakened by the loud clatter of guards came to look.

Nearly all followed.

Druili marched behind Fili but made sure to stay with Kili. As he stumbled to a stop and gripped his thigh, she steadied him with a hand on his shoulder.

"Do you want me to-"

"Keep moving!" Both Druili and Kili moved forward when a guard came up behind them and shoved them. The same one she'd kicked.

"He's hurt, don't shove him," the guard shoved him again and she growled, "do it again and you'll regret it!"

The guard looked at her and purposefully reached forward to give Kili another shove. He didn't know she was a dwarf of her word.

With her hands still supporting Kili's shoulder, she leaned forward just before his hand came in contact with her brother's shoulder and sank her teeth into his gloved finger. She bit HARD through the fabric and released him when he recoiled back.

"Dru!" Kili groaned at her and she turned to him.

"Come on, it's-" the guard cut her off, reminding her he was there.

"You little bitch!"

She turned her head in time to see his fist approaching. She wasn't quick enough to avoid it but shut her eyes as it connected with her cheek and nose. Pain erupted in her face and the sheer anger behind his punch was enough to send her flying onto her back, releasing Kili's shoulder as she fell.

She was stunned for a moment and just lay there, letting the loud noises surround her. Her eyes flickered open and she felt a warm and wet substance on her face. Her hand came up and she winced as her fingertips touched her damaged skin. Pulling away to check, she wasn't surprised by the sight of blood on her face.

The voices rose louder and she remembered where she was. She pushed herself up off her hands and sat on her backside trying to steady the world as it spun in her vision. Both her hands grabbed her face as she tried to take deep breaths and concentrate.

She felt someone kneel by her and two gentle hands laid over the back of her own.

"Let me see," Fili's husky voice began to coax her hands away, "Dru, are you all right?"

For a moment, when she opened her eyes and looked at him, she couldn't see him. He was just a blur. But when he came into focus, his expression startled her. She'd never seen him look so vulnerable. There was lingering, leftover anger there, but it was mostly overpowered by a hint of sadness and something else she couldn't quite read.

His hands moved to either side of her face and she could feel his fingers rest just behind her ears.

"I'm all right," she tried to hide her wince when his thumb moved and gently prodded her swelling cheek, "I don't think it's broken. How does it look?"

Fili smiled softly at her.

"Awful."

She smiled back and placed her hands on his wrists, pulling him away from her face.

"Thank you for the honesty, you git," she felt his fingers wrap around her own wrist as he turned his hands around, "help me up would ya' before this lot have a conniption?"

"It might be a bit late for that," Fili hoisted himself and then her up in one tug, steadying her when she stumbled into him. His arm came around her back and held her for a couple of heartbeats. He leant in close to her ear.

"You might have to calm the situation down."

She finally looked around her. Whilst the company was outnumbered AND weaponless, they were all stinking up a fuss. Dwalin was actually being held back by Thorin and Balin as he went for one of the guards. All around them, the townsfolk seemed to be cheering them on. Though whether that was because they hated the guards or just really wanted a fight, she was unsure.

"OI!"

The company turned towards Druili's shout, the sounds dying down as they all looked at her. Her cheek was swelling and her nose and lips were bloody, but she wore that same scowl she always did when she was frustrated.

"Come on you lot," she looked between the company, almost daring anyone to argue, "better get a move on to this 'Master's' house. Don't want to keep the bastards waiting."

With a determined (but gentle) shove, she began to push Fili and the others in front of her. When Kili caught up with her, she moved around to his bad side, grabbed his arm, pulled it over her own frame and slipped her other arm around his waist.

"Don't you dare bloody argue, I just got a black eye for you," she looked straight ahead and continued to walk at a steady pace.

Kili said nothing, but his fingers held onto her shoulder with all his might and whilst it could have easily been because of the pain he was in, she knew it was his way of saying 'thanks'.

On they walked through the town and finally, they approached a large and stately looking building. Well, stately for this place. Whilst it was nowhere near as clean, it was definitely well built.

"I can see where the town's resources get spent," Druili sneered at the thought of any individual living in this type of place whilst the people around them suffered and worked hard for what they had. She thought of the humble home of Bard and how if anyone should have a grand place to live, it would be him and his thoughtful children.

The company was forced before the steps of the house and the guards gave one last shove, ensuring everyone was in line and would not move. Druili finally released her brother and without thinking about it, drew her nose and mouth across her sleeve. She frowned at the faint stain of blood left on her gift from Eilonwy but turned her attention back to the house, where the doors were pulled open by two guards.

Out strode an angry and fat old man, with balding ginger hair that he'd swept over to hide his naked head. He was still pulling on his coat and that was when Druili finally noticed the snow that was falling around them.

"What is the meaning of this?!" He demanded as he looked over the ensemble.

"We caught them stealing weapons, sire," Braga turned around with a smile as if he'd personally apprehended them all, one by one.

"Ah. Enemies of the state, eh?" The Master squinted down at the company and Druili felt like hitting him.

"A desperate bunch of mercenaries, if ever there was, sire," a lowly and hunched figure interjected, standing by the master as if it was his job.

"What a pathetic bunch of men," Druili didn't keep her voice low on purpose and felt Kili's hand clasp hers, trying to keep her quiet.

"Hold your tongue!" Dwalin growled out as he stepped forward, "You do not know to whom you speak."

Druili knew what was coming. There was no point in secrets anymore and they didn't have to be merely Dwarves who were lost and visiting relatives. It was now or never. She glanced over at Thorin, whose eyes were low as Dwalin turned everyone's attention to him.

"This is no common criminal. This," he held his arm out and proclaimed with a smile, "is Thorin. Son of Thrain, son of Thror."

The crowd around began to murmur with interest. The company parted to let Thorin threw and Druili swore he almost looked...a little sheepish? Certainly not shy, surely? Thorin, who had defeated Trolls, Orcs and Goblins, looked uncomfortable as everyone looked directly at him.

He passed by Dwalin with a pat on his shoulder, calming his friend down.

"We are the Dwarves of Erebor. We have come to reclaim our homeland," Druili saw the master and his little companion glance around nervously.

She turned her head slightly to Kili with a smile.

"He knows how to excite the crowd, right?"

She felt a light shove from behind her and looked at the guard who had punched her.

"How would you like another bite mark on your privates?!" She snapped her teeth at him and the guard actually took a step away. When she turned back to watch what Thorin had to say, Fili was standing in front of her. He nudged her to where he had stood and then, took her place in front of the guard.

"Your temper is going to get us in trouble," he whispered.

"We're already in trouble," she whispered even lower and hoped Kili couldn't hear her, "and it wasn't me who dropped the weapons."

The crowd began to chatter together. She could hear people talking about the prophecy. Even the guards around them looked nervous.

"I remember this town in the great days of old," Thorin changed his direction and began to talk to the crowd instead, knowing that stirring them up would help, "Fleets of boats lay at the harbour. Filled with silks and fine gems. This was no forsaken town on a lake. This was the centre of all trade in the North!"

His passionate speech made Druili's heart soar. Even she felt herself getting riled up.

"Oh...oh, he's so good at doing that. That's our King," she actually chanced a look at Fili, who was smiling at her, feeling the exact same way.

"I would see those days return. I would relight the great forges of the Dwarves and send wealth and riches flowing once more from the Halls of Erebor."

The cheering had grown to a crescendo. The only people not cheering, were the guards, the master, his pathetic little servant man. Thorin was winning them over easily.

Suddenly, a familiar voice broke through the crowd.

"Death!"

Everybody turned and Druili gasped as Bard pushed his way by the guards and the company.

"That is what you will bring upon us!"

"I thought you were on our side?!" Druili shouted at him and received a glare in return, the twinkle that he had in his eyes was long gone, replaced by anger and fear.

"Dragon fire and ruin," he stood before Thorin who looked in equal parts confused and shocked at how their 'friend' was talking to them now, "if you waken that beast it will destroy us all."

Thorin calmly interjected, his eyes going around the crowd again.

"You can listen to this naysayer but I promise you this: if we succeed all will share in the wealth of the mountain."

Druili had had enough. Letting go of Kili's hand and walking straight in between Bard and Thorin, she projected her voice so the crowd could hear.

"He speaks the truth! He is earnest," she stopped glaring at Bard to walk away and stand by her Uncle's side, "the vast wealth in there will restore this town to BETTER than what it was before. BUT only If you trust in us. If you help us, WE WILL return the favour."

The crowd around her began to chatter again and she quickly looked at Thorin. He didn't smile, but his eyes were full of warmth and he nodded at her. He placed his hand on her shoulder and signalled for her to re-join her brothers.

She looked one last time at Bard and wondered what on earth was going through his head. His eyes were full of hurt, though she couldn't think why.

She moved back towards Fili and revelled in the sound of the crowd talking, her hope rekindled. The triumphant smirk on her face stayed there, even when Fili clicked his tongue at her. He always did that to her when he was getting ready to tease her.

"That was good, Toad," he winked at her, "unnecessary, but good."

"Shh, your king is talking."

"You will have enough gold to rebuild Esgaroth ten times over!" Thorin riled up the crowd by drawing his arms out in a grand gesture.

_'That seemed to do the trick.'_

He looked ready to continue, the fire burning in his eyes was as bright as the torches some of the guards carried.

But before Thorin could continue the hunched man by the master spoke, his words rolling over Druili like a snake. It was unpleasant and she hated the way it got under her skin.

"Why should we take you at your word? We know nothing about you! Who here can vouch for your character?" He'd obviously been a weasel his whole life.

But unfortunately, his question was right. Everyone in the company listened to the silence and unease that followed. Bard wouldn't speak up for them and they knew no other in this town. As Dwarves, they couldn't speak up for Thorin as their own words would be cast aside.

That left-

"Me."

Druili looked at Bilbo and smiled.

"Master Baggins...always full of surprises," she whispered mostly to herself, and she wanted to admit out loud that she'd fallen in love with the Hobbit ever so slightly. But, more in the way she loved each of the Dwarves. Bilbo was now not only her friend but felt like family.

"I'll vouch for him."

Druili turned back to watch Thorin as people spoke loudly for all to hear. She wasn't about to miss his face for anything.

"I have travelled far with these Dwarves through great danger and if Thorin Oakenshield gives his word, then he will keep it."

Druili actually felt a lump forming in her throat at the way Thorin looked at Bilbo. This Hobbit, whom he'd doubted, berated and finally befriended was speaking up not only for his kin but for himself.

The Crowd and company cheered, but Druili didn't hear it. She was too busy watching Thorin.

The smallest nod. The smile tugging at his lips. His mouth moving ever so slightly in a quiet, 'thank you' to Bilbo. If they hadn't been in such a public space, Druili probably would have started crying and hugging people. Instead, she took deep breaths and focused on the cheering crowd.

Unfortunately, she was not the only one focusing on them. Bard began to frantically try and get their attention.

"All of you! Listen to me!"

She groaned and rolled her eyes to the skies.

"Can't you give it a rest?!" She called out, but was ignored and looked back down as the crowd quietened again to listen to Bard.

"You must listen! Have you forgotten what happened to Dale? Have you forgotten those who died in the firestorm?! And for what purpose? The blind ambition of a Mountain King, so riven by green, he could not see beyond his own desire!"

"I should have let Dwalin toss him off of his boat!" Druili growled out.

Thorin looked ready to take him down personally, his shoulders squared back and he took a step forward. But an unlikely voice stopped him.

"Now, now!" The Master called everyone to order and they listened, "We must not any of us be too quick to lay blame. Let us not forget, that it was Girion, Lord of Dale," he pointed a fat digit directly at Bard, "your ancestor who failed to kill the beast!"

Whilst Druili was confused at the way the Master had been very hypocritical in his statement, she was more shocked than anything to discover that it was Bard's ancestor who had been the one to fail at killing the dragon.

_'That's why Bain was so passionate about defending Girion!'_

The Entire company was looking at Bard in the exact same way as she was.

"It's true, sire. We all know the story," The Master's grubby henchman spoke over the murmurs, "arrow after arrow, he shot. Each one missing its mark."

But Bard had obviously finished trying to convince not only them but the crowd around him. He looked down at Thorin, his eyes beseeching but his tone commanding.

"You have no right. No right to enter that mountain."

Thorin, undeterred by the tone and glare, stared back at Bard.

"I have the only right," he whispered it to Bard, but all the Dwarves heard him. After a silent exchange in glaring at one another, Thorin turned away, back to face the Master of Lake-town.

"I speak to the master of the men of the lake," he walked up the stairs, followed closely by Bard, "will you see the prophecy fulfilled? Will you share in the great wealth of our people?"

Both Thorin and Bard were looking at the Master, his eyes squinting as he seemed to think about the information carefully. His eyes quickly swept over the company and the crowd around.

With her nerves getting the better of her, Druili's hand grabbed Fili's wrist and she squeezed as she felt his own arm shake.

"Come on," she shut her eyes and let the snowflakes fall against her skin, the tiny bits of ice melting against her inflamed cheek.

When she opened her eyes again, it was Thorin that spoke.

"What say you?"

"I say unto you...welcome!" The Master threw out his arms and the crowd cheered again, excited shouts of glee filling the air.

"Welcome! And thrice, welcome! King under the Mountain!"

Druili turned to her brother. He looked at her with sparkling eyes and immediately, wrapped his arms around her waist. She jumped at him and threw both arms around his neck, squealing in delight.

"ABOUT BLOODY TIME!" She screeched out and wiggled her legs, unable to control her joy. She looked over at Kili who managed a weak smile and turned away to share his own celebrations with the others.

Druili did not turn to see the glare that Thorin shared with Bard. She was too busy hugging her brothers.

And in the midst of celebration, she realised that tomorrow would be it. They would at the Lonely Mountain, with a fire breathing dragon. And her heart clenched painfully as she clung onto Fili and remembered a promise she'd been keeping. A promise that she and Fili would need to talk about. Tonight. Because there probably would not be another chance after tomorrow. Tomorrow, they could very well be dead.

XXXXXXXX

After the crowd had dispersed back into their own homes and the Master had welcomed the Dwarves into his home with open (and greedy) arms, plans had been quickly made. Food had been gathered, the wine had been drunk and preparations were made for the morning.

They would have all the weapons, armour and supplies they needed for their journey. And whilst the night was still early, the wine began to flow a lot speedier than it had earlier. A few of the members were getting far merrier, singing and doing jigs on and around the table, entertaining the company and guards alike.

But not everyone was in high spirits.

Kili and Fili had separated from the company and withdrew to a silent section of the house so Kili could rest early. Fili had been trying to push him to get his leg seen to, but Kili had eventually shrugged him off and stormed (limped) off in a huff.

Fili was alone in a quiet alcove, surrounded by hundreds of books when Druili approached him. She'd excused herself earlier in the night and had not been seen since, but the company had not been worried.

"I was wondering where you'd disappeared to," he put down the book he'd been idly thumbing through and looked at her face in the light, "that meat has done wonders for your cheek."

She didn't reply straight away, but took his hand in hers and looked at him beseechingly.

"We need to talk."

She didn't give Fili a chance to reply as she pulled him along the passage, leading away from the company and revelry.

"Piglet," they stopped by the door and she let go of his hand to shove a spare coat at him, "are you all right?"

She turned to him with a nod and pulled her own coat around her, the sleeves covering her own hands so she had to keep pulling them up to reach stuff.

"I'm fine, but...well, come with me."

So he let her lead him outside and away from the house. She didn't take his hand and he didn't question her anymore as they made their way to a small and hidden doorway. She opened the door and held it open for him to step through.

"It's all right, there's no one here," Druili smiled at his arched brow and nodded her head for him to join her, "I found it earlier. It's quiet here and private and looks like an old warehouse of some kind."

Fili walked over the threshold and was surprised by the soft candlelight around. She'd obviously just come from here to get him.

"Come on, this way."

He watched her march past him and eagerly make for the stairs, taking the steps two at a time.

"Piglet, this is all very interesting, but-"

"Just shut it and come up here!" She was already at the top of the landing and Fili couldn't help but laugh. She was eager about something and he actually did want to keep her waiting for a bit longer. She would have probably started a fight with him and tugged him up the stairs.

"Dru," he called up once when her figure and shadow disappeared from sight, "Dru?"

She did not answer. He could not hear her moving anymore and his smile faded as he listened. He could hear her breathing. Waiting.

He walked up the stairs and sought her out.

She stood in the farthest corner of the room, her arms folded as leant nonchalantly against a wooden beam. The room itself was not particularly large, but in three long strides, he would reach her. But as he came around the side of the stair rail, he looked down at the floor and saw two long pieces of fabric. Two coats, in fact, that had been opened up and spread out to their fullest. He looked back at her.

"You know you don't have to sleep here?" He began to walk to her, careful to avoid her coats as he made his way around to her, "I'm sure we can find you a private space at the Master's house. I mean, I take it you just don't want to sleep with a bunch unclean, smelly, old and drunken Males-UGH!"

He had seen her move towards him, but just as she came to stand in front of him, he was surprised by the sheer force and strength as she pulled him towards her and held on tight.

"Piglet?!" He almost stumbled backwards and put his hands on her shoulders as he tried to push her away to look at her. Her face was pressed into his chest and her arms had slipped around his back and held him. She was holding on so tightly, that Fili thought she was afraid he would turn and run from her.

"I'm scared."

Her voice was so small, he wasn't sure if he had heard her. But as he listened, she repeated it again and again.

"I'm scared, Fi'. I'm so scared," her head moved to the side so it wasn't buried against his shirt anymore, "This is it, Fi'. Tomorrow we'll be there and-and I don't know what's going to happen and it terrifies me."

His hands moved and soon, he returned her embrace. One of his hands cradled the back of her head as the other stroked soothing circles on her back through her coat.

"It's all right," he whispered against her hair and hoped she would listen to his calm and reassuring voice, even if he wasn't speaking the full truth, "we'll be all right, I promise-"

"Fi'?"

She pulled her head away from him and looked into his eyes. He looked back at her and his heart pounded in his chest at the way her eyes shone with unshed tears. Her lips were quivering and she looked so uncertain. His hand moved from the back of her head to the side of her face and carefully held her, trying not to touch her bruising cheek.

"Piglet," he had to clear this throat quietly as he attempted to speak to her without breaking his voice, "Piglet, I-I don't know what to say. I-I want...Dru," he placed his forehead against hers and shut his eyes, "I will protect you. If you stay close to me, I will protect you." He felt her move against him and kept his eyes shut, waiting for her to talk.

His eyes jolted open when her lips pressed against his. He pulled away in shock and looked down at her.

"Do you remember the promise, Fi'?" She whispered and for the first time, could see the faint tinge of a red blush spread across her face.

He knew what she meant. His other hand came to rest on her other cheek as he looked at her for any sign of uncertainty or hesitation.

"It's time, Fi'."

_"Fi, what was it like?"_

_Fili had heard her question, but so engrossed was he in the book that it took his sister's hand actually blocking the words out as she reached up and grabbed the hem of it for him to acknowledge that it wasn't just a general piece of chatter._

_He came tumbling out of the world he was reading and back to real life, though it was just as pleasant as the story he had been reading._

_He and Druili had finished their chores for the day and since there was a while before suppertime, he had elected to go outside and sit beneath the apple tree at the bottom of their garden. He'd not really noticed her following him and it was only when he took a seat in the curve of the roots, his back pressed against the trunk did he realise she was joining him. _

_For a while, he'd pretended to be reading his book whilst he watched her idly pass the time. _

_She'd un-braided, then re-braided her hair before putting it all into a messy knot atop her head, sticking bits of fallen twigs and sticks to secure it. He'd restrained his laugh at how she'd given herself a hairstyle that looked very much like a strange birds nest. But she didn't seem to care. It was her Fifteenth summer and she still had no urge or desire to take care of her appearance. _

_Except for her beard. That was growing at a steady rate and she took great care in brushing and braiding it, even decorating it with colourful beads._

_She'd eventually flopped onto her back, her head cushioned by his thigh and began to idly chat about things now and then. She hadn't really been making sense with some of the things she wondered aloud._

_'Do you think Trees would die if they just took off and flew through the air? I think they'd grown bigger and bigger.'_

_'If a cat and a dog fell in love, do you think when they die, they would eat one another? Or maybe their love would be so strong they'd try to die together...'_

_'I wonder what it'd be like to soar above the clouds...do you think they feel like feathers? Or maybe sheep's wool...'_

_So after a while, he'd become so into his book that her chatter drifted into the background and only drew an occasional raised eyebrow from him. So when he moved his book to his chest and looked down at her, he realised she was actually addressing him._

_"What?"_

_She rolled her eyes at him._

_"What was it like?"_

_He casually pulled the book down and pretended to be engrossed in the words again._

_"What was what like?"_

_"You never bloody listen when it's important," he heard her sigh before the next few words startled him," what was it like kissing Daisy?"_

_In his shock, he actually dropped the book but luckily, she'd been expecting it. She caught it in her hand and held it away from him so he couldn't reclaim it straight away._

_"How do you know about Daisy?" He demanded._

_"Ki' told me."_

_"But-how did he know?!" Fili couldn't recall telling his brother about this one conquest. It'd only happened a few days ago and he would have remembered-_

_"Finnick told him."_

_Fili groaned and scrubbed at his face with his hand. Of course, that blabbermouth would tell Kili. He'd seen the two 'lovebirds' coming back from the riverside and Fili hadn't thought to threaten him to make him keep it a secret. Heck, he wouldn't be surprised the news had reached even to Rohan by now._

_"Bloody smarmy git," his hands came down and he watched Druili sit up and turn to him, "you wait until I get my hands on him."_

_As Druili settled back on her knees looking at him, his book clutched in her hands and on her lap, she cocked her head expectantly._

_"Well...what was it like?!" _

_She had no patience. Never had and Fili couldn't help but smile at her._

_"Why do you want to know?"_

_"I've never kissed anyone and I want to know what I'd be getting into," she stated it so matter of fact that she didn't even bat an eyelid to confessing she'd yet to be kissed, "what if I have to snog someone one day and it's awful?! I want to prepare myself."_

_Fili let out a slow and deep chuckle and clicked his tongue at her._

_"All right. Well...kissing Daisy was," he pretended to concentrate, looking for the right word, "ok."_

_Druili frowned at him._

_"Ok?"_

_She wouldn't have gotten angry at him had he not suddenly smirked at her. She, of course, choose the closest weapon she had and hit him around the arm with the back of his book._

_"Tell me, you Lummox!"_

_When he stayed quiet, with that same infuriating smirk on his face she began to hit him around the arms again, Fili eventually throwing his hands out and grabbing the book so they were both fighting for it._

_"All right, All right!" He laughed at her as she tried to tug the book out of his grasp, "I'll tell you. Just stop hitting me!"_

_Druili obediently stopped pulling, but they BOTH maintained a hold on the book between them. She looked at him hopefully._

_"It was Ok-BECAUSE," he felt her tug at the book again and quickly stopped himself from teasing her further, "it was the right circumstance. It was...like the first time you try cherry tarts. Sweet on the tongue."_

_She pouted at him, though she looked more confused than frustrated._

_"Was there fireworks?"_

_She'd obviously been reading a lot of the romantic stories they had._

_"No...but there was a," he tried to think of the right words, "stirring in my chest."_

_Her eyes widened and she seemed stunned by his revelation._

_"Like...love?"_

_He shook his head with a smile._

_"No...it was not love. It was...well, you'll know when you get your first kiss," he wasn't sure how he could explain it any further to her. She didn't seem content with his answer and looked at the book they both held. Their fingers were touching and whilst Fili hadn't noticed it before, he did know when he felt her gingerly began to stroke his over the skin of his knuckles._

_"Fi?" She didn't look up at him, staring intently down instead._

_"Yes?" He could sense her worry and nerves and that made him nervous also._

_"Can I," she paused before finally looking up at him and getting her words out in a rush, "Can I kiss you?"_

_Fili blinked at her a couple of times. He felt like he should perhaps jump up, scale the tree and hide in the branches away from her, very much like a cat. But he maintained his composure and just gulped down the lump that had formed in his throat._

_"Why-why would you want to kiss me?"_

_"Because...well," she tilted her head from side to side to debate her next few words, "you're the nearest boy that will kiss me."_

_He couldn't keep the scowl from his face._

_"Oh. Thanks."_

_Temporarily distracted by her insult, he allowed the book to slip from his fingers but winced as the back of it hit him in his leg._

_"I MEAN...you're the nearest boy that will kiss me BECAUSE I asked him...anyone else would probably run and hide or just...laugh at me."_

_He furrowed his brow at her._

_"I'm sure there are some lads dying to kiss you," he didn't want to think of any kissing her, but surely-_

_"Come on, who would want to kiss someone with a mug like mine?" She let go of the book with one hand and gestured with a wave to her face. _

_Her scars no longer bothered him. For a few months after her recovery, he'd looked at her with guilt and sadness. But after a few well-placed slaps and kicks from Druili, he forgot about them completely. She was still herself after all. She'd held him down successfully and made him promise to stop feeling bad about what had happened. _

_Whenever he looked at her now, she was...stronger. She was still that stubborn, beautiful, aggravating female he had come to love so dearly for so many years._

_But she was right. Occasionally, when he'd been alone with friends or amongst people who had met her briefly, they were quick to judge her scars. He'd gotten into many fights that usually started with, 'She'd be pretty if it weren't for those scars' and ended many friendships when they would not retract their words._

_And he still didn't like the idea of her giving away her first kiss to someone who wouldn't appreciate it, though he couldn't fathom why. In his Twenty-Third year of living, he still couldn't quite grasp relationships, no matter how many girls he kissed._

_He folded his arms across his chest and looked away from her as he thought about it. Nothing bad could come of the kiss and it wasn't like anyone would find out. They were hidden from view of the house and Kili was still trying to finish up his own chores._

_Slowly, he made eye contact with her again and he could see her practically brimming over with impatience. He smiled at her._

_"Fine. But how-"_

_"Okay, hang on."_

_She moved and he couldn't stop the blush that spread over him as she crawled onto his lap and seated herself there, a leg either side of his hip. Her hands came up and she idly rubbed the grass and dirt that had gathered on her palms, not noticing Fili's discomfort._

_He had pressed himself so far against the tree that the bark was cutting into him. But he daren't move too much, encase he startled her like an animal. _

_She, however, didn't seem to understand the awkward position she had put them in._

_"All right, shut your eyes and let me do it."_

_Fili raised an eyebrow at her but complied immediately. It helped him to focus on controlling his erratic heartbeat and the heat spreading through him. He felt her hands cup his face. The pressure on his lap shifted ever so slightly and his fingertips pressed into either of his elbows as the warmth spread below his belt._

_Her face was so close to his and she could feel her hesitation as her breath ghosted over his lips. And then, she kissed him._

_Her lips were a little chapped and he could feel the scar, but she was...good. A rush went through him and he moved his lips automatically, kissing her back._

_It was soft, gentle and tender and Fili had to restrain himself from wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer. This was HER kiss after all and she wanted to do it the way she wanted._

_All too soon, she slowly pulled away and her lips hovered over his. He wanted to pull her back to him._

_Instead, he opened his eyes and watched her. She pulled herself all the way back to sit on his thighs and she licked her lips with a quick swipe her of the tongue. She looked...deep in thought._

_"Well?" He said before he could stop himself, biting down on his bottom lip. Now HE was being impatient. _

_"You taste like," she waggled her nose as she thought, "Pipe tobacco...and cinnamon and-"_

_"I didn't know I had so many different flavours."_

_"And peppermint candies," she finally met his eyes again and smiled innocently, "but I did feel that stirring."_

_"Oh?" He leant forward slightly, his back coming off of the tree as he regarded her curiously._

_"It was like...butterflies flying up inside of my chest. Caught in a breeze going round and round."_

_Fili actually couldn't help the smug smile that spread across his face, though Druili noticed it and suddenly scowled._

_"Still, it's weird. Kissing my brother was definitely weird."_

_He returned her scowl and suddenly pulled his arms around her, pulling her shoulders tightly against him. She wiggled about and cackled at the offence he took._

_"You toad!" _

_He tried to rub his knuckles into her scalp but forgot that her hair now had a very effective cushion atop of it. He swiped out as his skin poked some of the sharper twigs she'd stuck in there haphazardly. _

_"We should really get the shears to this mess," he tried to sound menacing, but one of her thicker braids had escaped and he had to disentangle his own hair from it._

_"Don't! Do you remember that time by the river? I thought my hair would never grow back," she settled down in his lap when his grip relaxed around her. She shifted about until both her legs were the same side and her arms hugged him._

_It wasn't entirely comfortable, but he didn't want to disrupt them. He was very content. His arms settled around her and when her head rested against his chest, he found a (somewhat) comfortable place to rest his chin on her hair pile._

_"I was really proud of you that day, by the way," he quickly removed his arm to pick up the discarded book that had fallen to their side during the scuffle._

_"Really?" She watched him expertly open the book with one hand and easily find the page he had lost._

_"Of course. The way you stood up to those boys...and Thorin."_

_Her arms tightened around him and she nuzzled into his chest._

_"Thanks, brother."_

_As they sat in content silence and Fili began to read again, the hand that had been splayed flat on her back had moved up and around her neck, and he didn't realise he had been absently rubbing soft and gentle circles on her skin until she spoke up._

_"I might fall asleep if you keep doing that."_

_He turned the page with his thumb and continued to read and draw circles against her neck. He felt her relax and was sure she was ALMOST asleep when the sound of footsteps approaching had Fili turning his head._

_"I wondered where you two got to," Kili immediately came over and sat by Fili, his shoulder jolting his brothers so it alerted Druili if she wasn't already aware._

_She sleepily looked over at Kili and reached up for him with one arm. Thinking she meant to tell him something, he leaned down but was caught off guard as she tugged him to lay awkwardly next to her head. Her arm wrapped around his shoulders and she shut her eyes with a lazy smile._

_"Shh. Too comfy. Can't move."_

_Fili grumbled and attempted to free his arm and put it down somewhere that it wouldn't disturb anyone too violently. He scowled as Kili got comfy._

_"Gods, You two are heavy," he suddenly felt like an old and used pillow._

_"Shut it and read your book," Kili turned to look at him, but stopped short as he stared at Druili, "What did you do to your hair?!"_

_Fili happily let her tug the book from his hands and laughed unreserved when she walloped Kili on top of the head with it._

A couple of hours later...

Emerging into the frosty outside world, Druili immediately began to jump up and down on the spot.

"Oh! It's bloody freezing out here!" Even through her coat, the harsh night had definitely worsened. It was not a blizzard, but the snow would settle a little tonight. She just hoped the journey tomorrow wouldn't be too hard on them, considering they still had a mountain to climb.

Fili joined her, shutting the door to their private little getaway and turning to face her.

"Don't change the subject," he smirked and watched as she tried to push her arms further into the sleeves of her coat, "answer the question: How do you know? A bag of Rubus Idaeus you got from a mad old bat of a midwife isn't exactly a reliable source."

She stuck her tongue out at him and flicked the tip of his nose with her finger.

"First off, Doris isn't mad, she's eccentric and a friend, so be nice," her face softened ever so slightly, "And secondly, I'm always right, you know this."

Fili's lips twitched as he tried to hide his smirk. And she glared daggers at him, daring him to laugh.

Within a few moments, they were both laughing and Druili gave him a playful shove.

"You're only right when it suits you," he said, his hands capturing hers when she went to shove him again.

"Oh shush."

When the laughter had died down, she slipped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a familiar embrace. His arms looped around her waist and he knew they'd returned back to where they had been. Before they'd entered that room. It was all right though because this was better than nothing.

"I love you," he whispered against her head and shut his eyes as he revelled in the feeling of her, "my cantankerous, pain in the arse little sister."

"And I love you, my protective and vain big brother," she pulled away and smirked at his aghast expression.

"How dare you! Kili's the one that's vain!"

"Oh no. He's a charming git, YOU'RE vain. I see the way you pout at yourself in the mirror when you think no one's looking!"

She pulled a 'kissy face' and he knew that she was mocking him. He had actually pulled that face quite a lot when he admired his reflection. He rolled his eyes and grabbed her hand in his before she could continue, tugging her along the walkway.

"Come on, whether or not the party is over, we still need to get some rest," he didn't release her hand as she quickly got in step beside him, "we have a busy day tomorrow."

"I know," she purposefully made him slow down so they could walk back and admire the snowfall as they went, "A mountain to reclaim and all."

They made their way back to the Master's house, silently. The snow fell around them and the streets were quiet, except for the approaching sound of revelry from inside the house. They both quietly contemplated everything that had just happened and the approaching future.

The love they shared was not an unusual one. What they had just done, was something they knew would be awkward, but they'd also vowed to not let it change them. The blood that ran through their veins was not shared and they'd not known each other since they were babies. But still, they loved one another.

And nothing, on Middle-earth or beyond would change that.


	11. Do you know who you are?

C11: Do you know who you are?

The entire town was out and the cheers and well wishes aplenty. The docks were lined with women, men and children alike and all were greeting and bidding farewell to the company who marched along, ready for their final journey.

They had been given new clothes, armour and the weapons they desired. Druili had picked two small swords and bound them to her waist thrice over with the belt she had been given for them.

As she glanced around and smiled at the faces, it pained her to not see Bard or his children there. But then, he hadn't been too happy about their departure and plans.

Still, for some odd reason, she felt like could have done with all their support.

The ribbon that had been holding her braid together had fallen out, but she'd tied it securely to one of her swords handle, reluctant to just dump it into her pouch with her now stained and bloody tunic.

She reminded herself to ask anyone if they knew how to get blood out of elf clothes.

"You do know we're one short," Bilbo's voice caught her attention ahead of her, "where's Bofur?"

Druili groaned as she remembered counting the heads earlier and doubting herself that she was just tired and thus, missed a head somewhere.

"Oh, Bollocks. Last I saw him, he was passed out under the table in the Master's office. I'll go get him-"

"There's no time. If he's not here, we leave him behind," Thorin didn't even turn back, nor did he stop walking as he called out to her.

She was a little surprised at his statement but tried to understand from his perspective. Time was pressing and if they wasted maybe even a few precious seconds, then that could mean everything to find the door.

"We'll have to. If we're to find the door before nightfall, we can risk no more delays," Balin interjected and she felt a little reassured. Still, she hoped Bofur wouldn't be too sad. Or hungover.

Finally, they were by the boat. A shiver of excitement and anticipation coursed through her as the company began to hop on, one by one.

When she stepped onto the boat and felt it sway beneath her feet, her breath caught in her throat.

_'This is it.'_

When she turned back to the edge, she saw Kili approach and moving aside for the others to get on, she waited for him. Whilst the rest had not come to him so easily and his complexion was still pale, he seemed to be faring a little better. But then, he'd always been good at hiding his pain. She wouldn't know how he'd fare up against the steep climb of the mountain, but if it came down to it, she'd knock him out and carry him on her back.

When his turn came to step on, she placed her foot on the side to steady herself and waited for him to join her. And then Thorin put his arm out and around him.

"Not you."

Druili's heart leapt into her throat and she couldn't help the squawk that escaped.

"What?!"

Thorin ignored her and avoided eye contact with Kili as he pushed him aside and let the others hop onto the boat.

"We must travel at speed. You will slow us down."

Kili looked at her as if she was part of some joke. She merely shook her head at him, hoping to convey that she knew nothing about what Thorin was saying. He turned back to Thorin.

"What are you talking about? I'm coming with you," his cheeky smile did nothing to take away the pain and restlessness that lurked on his face. He thought Thorin was joking.

"Not now," He finally looked at Kili and Druili could see that whilst he was being firm, there was still a sadness in his eyes.

"Uncle, you can't," she squeaked out quietly, unable to form any argument right now. Her brother was being denied something he'd so rightly fought for all these months. But...Thorin was right. He was injured and slow and they wouldn't make it up the mountain in time with him. But it still stung.

Thorin turned to her and shook his head, not wanting her to interrupt anymore. She quickly turned to Fili who was looking just as aghast as she was. She didn't know what to do.

And when she turned back, she saw the moment Kili knew Thorin wasn't joking. The moment he was being refused and rejected.

"I'm going to be there when that door is opened. When we first look upon the halls of our Fathers, Thorin," he was saying it more to himself than to Thorin, trying to force himself to believe he could still make it.

Thorin's hand came up to Kili's shoulder and he moved aside so she could no longer see his face. But she could hear the worry and concern in his voice as he spoke to her brother.

"Kili. Stay here. Rest. Join us when you're healed."

Even though his words were gentle, there was still that firmness there. The conversation was over. Kili was not coming with them to the mountain today.

She saw the pain in her brother's eyes and he still couldn't understand why this was happening to him.

Druili suddenly felt sick and it wasn't the shifting of the boat. Thorin moved away from Kili first, turning to the others who had heard everything.

Druili was torn. He was right. Kili WAS sick...sicker than he had wanted the others to know about and he would slow them down. But it also wasn't fair. It just WASN'T fair!

She watched Kili turn away, his shoulders slumped down as he walked away from the boat. She couldn't bear it.

Making her mind up, she quickly stepped up and off of the boat.

She went to march past Thorin, but he grabbed her arm and looked at her with another shake of his head.

"Dru, there's no time. You can see to him when he is healed and comes to us-"

"You misunderstand," there was an edge to her voice she didn't know she had before, but apparently it had come out now, "I'm staying...I know he's not well, but it's still not fair. If it were you, I'd carry you on my back myself. But that would still slow us down, wouldn't it?!" She tugged her arm free of his grasp and glared at him, "I wouldn't be on this quest if it wasn't for Fili OR Kili...I have no right to step into that place when he should."

Thorin drew his brow down and looked at her, confused.

"You are a Dwarf, you have as much right as the others."

He'd obviously misunderstood what she meant and whilst he hadn't meant to, she felt that insult hit her in the gut. She was a Dwarf, but she wasn't family. That's what it felt like he was saying to her.

"Aye'. I'm a Dwarf. And I belong with my brother."

She turned away and took a step to Kili, but stopped. Her anger seeped out of her quickly when she realised that this was a point in their journey they would go their separate ways. She would stay here whilst he and the others faced certain danger. Maybe even death.

She turned back to him, her expression and tone softer.

"Take care of yourself and not just the others. For me. Stay Safe and...I'll be thinking of you."

He nodded at her, though his expression was stony and she couldn't tell what he was feeling. She finally turned away and walked back to Kili. He had seated himself down upon an upturned pallet and was staring at his feet. She knelt down by him and dropped her voice, trying to act casual.

"Looks like you're stuck with me. Which is good, because I need to practice my snapdragon techniques-"

"I heard you," his voice was hoarse and rough with emotion as he ventured a look at her, "You should go. You can fight and-"

Her hands landed on his knees and she gripped the fabric of his trousers so tightly in her grasp, it hurt her fingers.

"And you're the most stubborn Dunderhead if you think I'll leave you here by yourself. Mother would bloody kill me. So just...shut up."

She turned around when she heard another voice approach.

"I'll stay with the lad. My duty lies with the wounded," Oin said to Thorin and Druili actually felt a little affection towards him, though they'd rarely spent any time together. She was very grateful that he volunteered himself as she wasn't sure how she'd fare at being a solo nursemaid.

When he came over, he hunched forward and his hands came out to take Kili's face in his grasp.

"Are you all right, lad?"  
Kili flinched away and scowled.

"I'm fine, I wish people would stop babying me."

"Don't bite his head off when he's trying to help!" She matched his scowl and turned when another voice spoke up.

"Uncle. We grew up on tales of the Mountain. Tales you told us. You cannot take that away from him!" Fili yelled up at Thorin, "I will carry him if I must!"

Thorin seemed to have had enough. She didn't see his face, but the stern tone was enough to have the hairs on her arm standing up.

"One day you will be king and you will understand. I cannot risk the fate of this quest for the sake of one Dwarf. Not even my own kin."

She turned back to Kili, knowing he could hear just as clearly as she.

"He's half right, you know."

Kili's disgusted and hurt look caught her off guard, but she gritted teeth and laid it out for him just what she felt.

"Don't. Don't you DARE! Don't you dare think you can pretend this-this thing doesn't get to you! You've been fighting this agony inside of you and pretending like it doesn't bother you so much and you can barely stand for more than a few minutes at a time!" Her hands left his knees to clasp his face and force him to keep looking at her, "STOP. Just...stop it...please. We're not going Kili, so there's no point in pretending anymore."

She couldn't control the shuddering that broke out over her body.

"You need to be treated, Kili. Let him look at you, you stubborn arse!"

She felt the tears threatening to spill over from her eyes and Kili finally nodded at her. He finally was resigned to let himself be babied since his part in the journey now seemed to be over.

As Oin began to inspect him, he was much more co-operative, allowing the older Dwarf to look in his mouth and eyes, pulling and prodding him.

"Don't be a fool! You belong with the company."

She turned around when Thorin yelled and her heart began to thump feverishly in her chest at the sight of Fili, now out of the boat, with his back to her and facing down their Uncle. She heard his response and felt the tug deep inside of her.

"I belong with my brother," he pulled Thorin's hand away from his arm and turned to them, Druili turning back and pretending to not be looking. All the while, the same thought went through her head when she thought of Thorin, 'y_ou are so stubborn!_'

When Fili joined them, he gave her a small smile and nod and she allowed herself this moment to stand back up and look at the boat. Everyone, minus Thorin was now boarded.

She blew a small kiss to them and waved.

"Stay safe, my boys!" She called out and nodded at Bilbo, who was the one to catch her kiss and pretend to put it in his pocket. She had a feeling, he was trying to make her smile and rewarded him with a small grin. Had it been Bofur, he probably would have stuck it onto his cheek and she would have laughed loudly.

She cast one more longing look at Thorin. He hadn't told her to be safe or keep the others safe. But then, he probably would never do that. It was the little nod of his head that conveyed everything. He turned away and finally climbed down into the boat.

As the fanfare began to play, the Master of the town appeared, atop his makeshift podium. Druili couldn't help but roll her eyes. She was sure he was only helping them specifically for the money and she just did not like his character at all. But, having already voiced these opinions to the others, she was told to, 'shut it' quite unsympathetically by Kili.

She turned back when Kili let out a groan as Oin finally prodded at his thigh. She grabbed Fili's arm and pulled him aside.

"Fili...he's worse than he looks. He didn't-he didn't want us to fuss-" She whispered so Kili wouldn't hear them, but Fili just nodded his head.

"I know. That's why I didn't say anything either."

The Master began to speak and they both tried not to listen to the merriment around them as they went back to Kili. All three shared the same sad, disparaging looks.

"Go now with our goodwill and may your return bring good fortune to all!"

She chanced a look behind her and watched the boat pull away, the company eagerly waving to the onlookers and well-wishers around them. Only a few looked back at the lonely four at the side, their faces twisted in regret and sadness. But she wouldn't blame them. She couldn't in these circumstances.

They slowly made their way farther down the narrow stream walk.

She went to look back at Kili, but suddenly a commotion to the side drew her attention. Stumbling out of the crowd and clothed in the armour he had been given the night before, came a rather dishevelled looking Bofur.

"Wait for me!" He called out but stopped short at the edge of the dock.

Druili stood up, her hands on her hips and feeling a very maternal need to scold.

"Bofur!"

He turned at the sound of her voice. He smiled briefly at her and then glanced behind her to where the others were.

"Ha. So you missed the boat as well?"

She couldn't help but roll her eyes at him and dropped her hands down in frustration.

"Honestly Bofur, you have the worst timing-"

"Kili? KILI!" Fili's voice cut her off and she spun around just in time to see Kili keel forward in his seated position, Fili just barely catching him in time before he hit the floor.

She jumped back over to him and held the other side.

"Ki'?!" His eyes were shut as if he couldn't keep them open anymore and his breathing was strained, "We have to get him inside somewhere. It's too cold out here."

As they pulled him up, she looped his arm around her shoulder and steadied him with her arm around his waist, Fili repeating the process on the other side.

"I can-I can walk," Kili managed to grunt out, though his eyes only flickered open as he attempted to focus.

"Sure, but this way is faster," she grunted as his weight settled against her, "Oh Kili, you make comments about my weight!"

The pained laugh was rewarding enough for her, knowing that if he didn't talk with her or laugh at her bad jokes, it'd be a dire situation. As the three of them marched on, Oin and Bofur led the way back to the Master's house. Druili was not heartbroken that she had stepped off the boat. She had made her choice. Her place, like Fili's, was with their brother. Nothing was going to change that.

_"Can we go on an adventure yet?"_

_"No, you're still too young."_

_"I'm going to be Sixteen soon! Come on, Ki!"_

_"I don't think it's a very good idea to take someone like you on an adventure. What if we run out of food?"_

_"I'll hunt."_

_"And what if there's nothing to hunt?"_

_"Then, I'll eat you."_

_"That's what I'm worried about-FILI, SHE'S DOING IT AGAIN!"_

_"Careful, Piglet!" Fili called up from his reclined position on the ground below, "your skirt is snagged in that branch!"_

_Druili, having curved her legs around said branch was currently dangling her upper half upside down. She'd remembered to sneak on her trousers today (knowing her mother's chagrin would be plenty if she'd found out), so as most of the fabric fell over her torso and she looked down at Fili, she knew he and Kili wouldn't be bothered by the sight of her clothed legs._

_"Oh no," she said in a mock tone of horror, "not my skirts. Whatever shall I do?"_

_"If Mam sees another tear, she'll have your backside!" Kili called out from above her as he lounged against his own branch, a hand outstretched as he grabbed at a few of the apples that were ready to pick, "heads up, Fi'!"_

_Fili, who had been relaxing with another book was not paying full attention. He was watching his sister carefully as she swung back and forth, her wild hair hanging down like a waterfall of fire. He had been thinking back to that kiss from a year ago and-_

_The apple that hit him in his gut was an unpleasant surprise and he let out an undignified grunt._

_"I told you to look out!" Kili bellowed and ducked to the side in time to avoid the apple being thrown back at him, but nearly lost his balance on the branch, "OI!"_

_Druili was enjoying the upside-down apple fight. Kili couldn't seem to miss Fili and Fili seemed too slow. With one powerful and well-aimed shot, the apple he had thrown seemed to spin wildly through the air and for a moment, she thought it would hit Kili. But instead, it rebounded off of the branch he was on and sprang backwards._

_Straight at her._

_She shrieked as the fruity projectile smacked her in between the eyes and her hands instantly flew to her face to cover the area it had hit. Unfortunately, in her painful and distracted state, her legs stopped clenching around the branch she was swinging from and she jerked suddenly when they fell away. Instead of tumbling straight to the floor however, she hung about, suspended like a puppet from a string with her arms and legs dangling down below her. Her skirts had been tangled up in the branch after all. _

_Then, she heard the tearing and ripping noise as the material of her skirt finally gave way on the branch and she did fall towards the earth._

_"DRU!" Both the boys cried as she came tumbling down to the ground. Her body luckily began to twist and when she landed on the ground, she landed directly on her front rather than her head. But as she lay there for a couple of moments, neither of them said anything. Fili was the first to scramble up from his position and ran to her, dropping to his knees as his hands pulled at her shoulder to turn her over._

_"Dru? Dru, please!" Fili had turned her over and his hands rested either side of her neck, "say something. Anything!"_

_Kili's form dropped the other side of her body and he helped Fili carefully hold her and pulled her body up. They supported her head, neck, shoulders and back between them and they looked at her still face._

_"Piglet, wake up," Kili could feel her breathing fine below his hands, but hoped she hadn't hurt her head on the way down, "come on, dinner's ready!"_

_When that got no response from her, he and Fili looked at one another, sharing an unsteady look at what to do now. But they both jumped back in surprise when she suddenly shot forward and sat up by herself._

_"WE MAKE A PACT!" She declared with a large smile and looked between the two of them for a response. It took a moment or two before their heart rates returned to normal and they both had the same murderous expressions on their faces._

_"Piglet, DON'T EVER-"_

_"DO THAT AGAIN!"_

_Druili raised her hands up defensively when they both neared her, looking ready to toss her out another tree themselves._

_"I'm sorry, but as I was laying there I got to thinking," she winced as she brought her hands up to her nose, "oh, your bloody apple, Fi'!"_

_Fili reached forward and grabbed her face in his hands, examining her nose and the little red mark between her brows that he knew would grow._

_"It's all right now, but you'll probably have an egg under your head tomorrow morning," he sighed and pulled away, his anger leaving him to be replaced by guilt, "sorry about that."_

_"Not your fault," she jabbed her finger at Kili without bothering to look at him, "this one did throw the first apple."_

_"Oi, I was tossing it TO him, not at him."_

_She rolled her eyes and turned to him._

_"And yet, you didn't apologise for it," she flicked his nose with her finger and smirked at his recoil, "manners mean everything, you hobgoblin."_

_After a brief battle of banter between the two, things quietened down again. Fili wouldn't let them back up a tree, on pain of death (that he would actually go and tell their mother), so instead, they lounged at the base of the tree. Kili and Druili were sitting with their backs against one another, idly playing guessing games whilst Fili leant against the bark of the tree. After the fall, he wasn't really in a reading mood, but he did still enjoy spending the time outside with his siblings. _

_"What I was thinking about before, on the ground," she went off the topic of the game when she remembered something, "We make a pact. No matter how far away we go, we go together. That way, we get our adventure!"_

_"What if we need to go to take a bath?" Kili craned his head back so it rested against her shoulder._

_"Then we scrub each other's backs like normal."_

_"We don't do that anymore," Fili pointed out._

_"YOU don't. You got big."_

_He arched his brow at Kili for the comment and Kili had to backtrack._

_"I mean...bigger."_

_Druili couldn't hold in her snort anymore. _

_"He's trying to say...you're old. But that's ok, we still love you."_

_Fili gave a mock scowl before letting his legs slowly drop him onto the ground, so he could talk with them at eye level._

_"AS I was saying...wherever we go...whether it be to the next town or travelling all over Middle Earth, we go together. No big adventures and NO sight-seeing without the other two," she ticked off the list on her fingers, ensuring she'd covered all aspects._

_"I like it. That's actually a decent plan," Kili's head left her shoulder and he nodded to himself, satisfied._

_"How do you expect to make this thing stick? What if one of us accidentally breaks it?" Fili reasoned to them and she was at first stumped for an answer._

_And then, she got another idea._

_She moved away from Kili with such speed, he almost fell onto his back, luckily catching himself on his hands._

_"Oi!"_

_"Hang on," she was scurrying around on her hands and knees and looking intently on the ground, "there's got to be one here-AHAH!"_

_She pulled up a broken twig from the ground. Testing its pointed edge between two fingers and ensuring that it wouldn't break, she grasped it firmly in one hand before holding it over her finger._

_"Dru, what are you-DRU!" Fili dove forward to stop her when she quickly stabbed at the pad of her finger but reached her too late as a quick drop of blood escaped. His hand came over hers and he cupped the back of her hand in his palm._

_"Fili."_

_He looked up at her when she called his name, but the smile on her face instantly made him regret it._

_"Your turn."_

_A second later, he felt the pain in his own finger as she stabbed him with the same stick._

_"OH, YOU TOAD!"_

_He tried to pull away from her, but she grasped his wrist in one hand with her stick still clutched in it and pushed the pads of their fingers together._

_"There. NOW it's proper and you can't break a promise," she smiled victoriously before turning back to Kili, "You too, Ki."_

_Kili, who had been watching with a mixture of amusement and fascinated horror, paled considerably._

_"But...I already said I liked the plan?" He smiled beseechingly at her, "can't we just shake on it?"_

_She turned away from him and looked at Fili. Kili knew he was in trouble the moment his brother nodded._

_He moved quickly, but not quickly enough. Fili had grabbed him around the shoulders and tackled him down to the floor again, rolling them over so Kili's back was pressed against his front. Druili quickly clambered over him and swatted away the hands that attempted to push her off._

_"Get him on his nose!" Fili laughed out loud when Kili gave a very loud squeak in protest._

_"No, not my face!" His hand came up to protect his nose whilst the other attempted to shove her away. But with the swiftness of a fox, she'd grabbed his wrist and stabbed him in the finger._

_"OUCH!" He declared, much louder than Fili had._

_She shook her head and quickly rubbed their fingers together, Fili loosening his hand from around Kili to do the same._

_"Oh, don't be a Baby. It's just a prick," she clambered off of him and smiled to herself, "There. NOW it's official. Can't break a blood promise."_

_They settled back against the root of the tree in silence, each contemplating their injuries. Fili, who had always said, 'take it like a Dwarf', quickly popped the digit in his mouth and sucked on it until it stopped bleeding. He then watched the other two with interest._

_Kili seemed to be sulking and dabbing the blood between his thumb and forefinger, probably thankful that they hadn't stabbed him in the nose. But Druili was glowering at her finger._

_"What's wrong, piglet?" Fili got her attention and she pouted as she looked at him._

_"It's not fair. I wish I had the same blood as you."_

_Fili just rolled his eyes and scoffed._

_"We've told you about this, It doesn't matter."_

_She clenched her hands into fists and balled them into her ruined skirt._

_"It does to me!"_

_"But Why?" Kili interjected, looking genuinely confused as to why it'd be important to her. _

_"Because I want to be a part of the family-UGH"_

_She was pulled into an immediate headlock by Kili._

_"We've told you, TOAD, you are."_

_Fili moved forward and grasped her flaying hands in his own so she was forced to listen._

_"No arguments. No more silly talk. You're our sister," he gave her a little jerk when she pouted again and pretended not to listen, "Blood or not and NOTHING will change that. Got it?"_

_She grumbled something quietly to herself before looking at him._

_"If I say yes, will you get me out of this smelly armpit?!"_

_Kili just laughed and squeezed her tighter._

_"If you say it quickly!"_

_"All right, all right!" She managed to crank her head back enough to look in Kili's eyes, "do you mean it, though?"_

_"YES," Fili gave an aggrieved sigh, "We just made a pact, piglet."_

_Kili released her from his headlock, but slipped his arms around her waist to hug her tightly from behind._

_"And we'll always be together. So, shut your face and just enjoy the day."_

_And they did. They spent the next few hours basking in the warmth of the day. Relaxing under the shade of the tree, they talked about everything and anything that came to mind. Always promising, to be there for one another._

As they pulled Kili along the familiar docks, they spotted the guards and Master up ahead, almost at his house.

"Come on Ki', one foot in front of the other!" She whispered to him and caught him as he stumbled again.

Eventually, they were close enough for the Master to hear.

"Please wait!" Fili called out as the Master and his henchman (whom she learned was called Alfrid) climbed the steps to his house. They turned around.

"Please, we need your help! My brother is sick!" Kili was now pressing his full weight against Fili and Druili and she had to hoist him to stand up.

"He's been injured and needs-" She started, but the Master drew back in horror.

"Sick? Is it infectious?! Get back!"

"It's not infectious, you git! He's been shot with an arrow-"

The Master was not listening to her.

"Alfrid, Alfrid, don't let them come any closer!"

"Or just keep interrupting!" She muttered darkly, trying to keep her anger in control.

Oin stepped forward and held up his damaged horn so he could hear them.

"Please! We need medicine."

Alfrid stopped 'protecting' the Master long enough to look at Oin like he'd grown three heads.

"Do I look like an apothecary?"

Druili growled.

"You look like someone who could do with my foot up-"

"Not. Helping," Fili growled back at her and she buttoned her mouth shut.

"Haven't we given you enough? The Master's a busy man," Alfrid continued, "He hasn't got time to worry about sick Dwarves. Be gone with you, go on. Clear off."

As the two slimy cretins turned their backs on them and made their way inside the house, Druili felt two large hands shove and jostle her from the side.

"Oi!" She cried out, stumbling forward as another pushed her. She looked around and saw the guards all around them, shoving them away from the house.

As one more hand made to push her, she felt that thin line of restraint within her snap.

"IF ONE MORE PERSON DARES SHOVE ME, I'LL PULL YOUR UNDESIRABLES OFF WITH MY HANDS AND MAKE YOU ALL EUNUCHS!"

That seemed to do the trick. The guards instantly pulled away and kept their hands to themselves. She righted herself and managed to get Kili walking again, the scream obviously shaking him awake enough.

"That was effective," Bofur said behind her and she noted a hint of worry in his tone. Maybe he thought she'd actually do it?

"I'm getting sick of all this bloody shoving," she marched on and whilst she got her bearings at where they were, signalled for Fili to help, "Come on, help me carry him this way."

"Where do we go now?" Oin enquired behind her.

"I know someone who might help us...but you won't like it," she continued to walk and by Fili's grunt of acknowledgement, he already knew where they were going.

When they wound themselves around and up the familiar steps, Fili couldn't keep it in anymore.

"Out of all the people-"

"I said you wouldn't bloody like it! But we have to try!" She let go of Kili's hand on her shoulder briefly to feel his face, "he's getting cold! Bofur, get the door."

Bofur reached up and tentatively knocked.

They didn't have to wait long as Bard himself answered the door. His glare spoke volumes.

"No," he shook his head and the anger was still fresh in his eyes, "I'm done with Dwarves. Go away."

Just as he moved to go back in and shut the door on them, Bofur bravely blocked it with his body.

"No, no! Please! No one will help us. Kili's sick."

Druili's hand fell back to grab at Kili's limp one and pulled him back up to stand straighter.

"PLEASE," she was aware of how desperate she sounded, but didn't care as she looked at Bard and gave it her all, "please. Help him. We don't have anywhere to go and-and you're our only friends here."

Kili began to shake as he struggled to look up and at Bard. He could no longer hide the pain he was in. She turned to him as he winced.

"You'll be all right, Ki'," she felt her bottom lip wobble as his hand suddenly dug into her shoulder, the grip letting her know just how much pain he was in.

Bard was watching her. He could see how sick Kili was, but he saw the emotional pain and worry in both her and Fili's eyes. And whilst Fili wouldn't stop looking at him, Druili's eyes rested on Kili as he groaned louder.

Bofur broke the moment.

"He's very sick."

But Bard had already made up his mind.

"Come in." He quickly moved aside and allowed them to step through.

"Easy, come on Ki'," she almost stumbled over the step but continued on, "get him by the fire first, warm him up."

"No, that will make him worse," Oin pointed away, "try to keep his temperature down. It may hurt, but if he gets a fever I don't know if he'll be able to break it."

Druili reluctantly began to steer Kili away from the fire, even though he was shivering against her.

Bard moved around them quickly.

"Over here. Put him over here."

There was a large bed up a small step and they carefully helped him into it, Kili suddenly crying out as his thigh was jostled.

"Oh...what I wouldn't GIVE to have some of that stuff Gandalf had," Druili said as she finally released Kili and he sank back onto the bed behind him.

"Come on, armour off," Fili began to help Kili out of his heavy armour and clothing. Druili moved aside as Oin came forward to check Kili's temperature again and she looked around desperately for something to do. Luckily, Oin helped her.

"Go get blankets to make him comfortable, we can prop his head and leg up."

"Blankets. Right," she hurriedly moved away and began to shed her armour, quickly throwing it in a pile with Kili's stuff.

"Tilda," she called to the little girl who had been watching curiously from the table as she prepared food, "would you take me to where the sheets and blankets were kept, please?"

Tilda nodded and scrambled down and off her seat, Druili forgetting for a moment just how much taller this wee child was compared to her.

They hurried along and down the hallway, coming to the room where Bard had disappeared to when they first arrived. It was a washroom. And in the corner sat all the blankets and sheets they'd kindly given to them the day before.

Tilda's hands grabbed the nearest and neatest bundle and Druili had recognised it as being the one that Kili had been using yesterday.

Things had been different then. Whilst he'd been in pain, it wasn't evident just how much and as far as everyone was concerned, he would still be going to the Lonely Mountain with them. And now, he lay crying out in another section of a house.

"Are you all right?"

Druili's head looked up and she realised that Tilda was standing in front of her, the bundle of blankets still in her hands and waiting for her to respond.

"Thank you-I...Thank you," Druili hadn't meant her voice to sound so emotional, but she couldn't help the sob that escaped her. She took the bundle and held it close to her chest, her arms holding on for dear life as she let out another sob.

Within seconds, Tilda's arms came about her.

"He'll be all right, we'll keep him safe."

That tipped her over the edge. Great fat tears spilt over her cheeks and she leant into the girl's embrace as she allowed herself to weep openly.

She tried to keep herself as quiet as she could but really, she felt like calling out for her own mother. For a little girl, Tilda obviously knew all the right things to say and do. She patted Druili's back and made little shushing noises. Druili almost laughed at the thought that she was allowing herself to be babied.

That seemed to cheer her up slightly and moved back, sniffing and quickly wiping her face on the blankets in her arms.

"Thank-thank you, Tilda," she stepped back when the little girl dropped her arms and smiled sweetly down at her, "you're a good lass. Don't let anyone change that about you, all right?"

Tilda nodded and Druili righted herself, making sure her emotions were back in check. She could cry after they helped Kili.

"Right, come on," she marched on, intent on getting her elder brother sorted out, however they could.

XXXXXXX

Druili had taken the brief break she allowed herself to look out at the window. The sun had now officially set. The night had come and she sent a silent prayer out towards the Mountain.

"They should be there by now...they should have found the door," she mumbled to herself and just hoped that wherever they were, they were all alive and safe.

Kili's groans reached her ears and she knew that his little reverie hadn't lasted. He seemed to have quietened down, but now it would appear that the pain had returned. Tenfold.

She turned away from the window and quickly marched back over to his bedside. He was thrashing about on the covers, struggling as Fili and Oin looked down at him. Her hand found his and she clasped it tightly in her grasp.

"Just squeeze, Ki'," she said to him and held on tight as he continued to struggle and thrash about, "squeeze down on the pain, all right."

He did squeeze down. And it hurt. But she wasn't about to let him go.

"Can you not do something?" Fili looked at Oin and kept going back and forth between trying to hold and help Kili, to moving away when he didn't seem to be doing anything to help.

"I need herbs. Something to bring down his fever," Oin pointedly called out over his shoulder, hoping that Bard was listening. He was.

"I have nightshade. I have Feverfew."

"Those are of no use to me!" Oin called back, aggrieved and thought for a bit.

Kili's eyes shut suddenly and he held his breath as a particularly nasty tremor wracked his body. The sweat was glistening on his forehead.

"Kili. Kili, look at me!" Her other hand came out and gently tapped the side of his face. He opened his eyes to look at her, but she could tell he was struggling.

"Tell me what to do. Tell me!" She leant closer to him, resting his hand in hers against her shoulder.

He hissed in pain.

"..Ma...Ma would know," he managed to grunt out before he shut his eyes again and tried to concentrate on not screaming again.

Fili's hands came out and rested against his opposite side, his eyes finding Druili's over Kili's form.

_'What do we do?'_

That was the question they both wanted to ask, but couldn't bring themselves to. They were both helpless and powerless to and as they both looked down at Kili, she really wished their mother was here. And she knew that Fili felt the same.

Suddenly, Oin remembered something.

"Do you have any Kingsfoil?" He turned back to Bard.

"No, it's a weed. We feed it to the pigs," Bard looked confused as to why they'd need such a plant.

"Couldn't we use the Feverfew for the wound?!" Druili spoke up as she remembered that Bard had mentioned have it. But Oin just shook his head.

"No, it won't help him now. The poison is in his blood."

She whimpered and let her hand grip onto Kili's.

"Pigs? Weed. Right," Bofur suddenly moved with great speed, briefly coming back to point right at Kili's face, "Don't move."

Druili could only glare after his retreating form.

"Are you bloody serious?!"

She looked away from Bofur when Kili suddenly seemed to be riding out a wave of pain, coming out the other end for a small respite.

"Talk about something. Anything!" He gritted his teeth and stared at Druili.

"...I...I don't know. What-" she stumbled as she quickly thought of something to talk about with him. Or at least, at him.

"You always do-AH!" His scream tore her apart as another ripple went through him, his entire frame shaking with exertion. Druili panicked and drew close to him.

"I was the one who put oatmeal in your boots."

Kili blinked a couple of time and then glared at her before screaming out again.

She thought quickly.

"Urm...I was the one who broke your toy and I buried it in the backyard. It's still there. We'll go dig it up when we go back and you can yell at me for it," as his tremor desisted he gave a shaky laugh, "I...I was the one who rubbed her dirty hands on Uncle Thorin's coat and you got the blame for it. I was the one who told Rosie Adley about your warts. I," she choked on a sob as tears began to fall down her face again, "I was the one who tied your hair to the bedposts that night. I was the one who took your winter solstice gifts and covered them in jam. And I was the one who put fire ants in your best trousers. I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, I've been a terrible sister."

Kili had stopped shaking briefly and was looking at her, a small, weak smile on his face.

"You've...you've been the best sister, ever," he managed to get out before another scream tore itself from his throat and his body quivered beneath her grasp. His hand lefts hers and began to reach out for something unseen, as if looking for something else to grab onto.

"Dru," Fili's voice got her attention and she stared at him, tears still streaming down her face, "Get more water. We need fresh water."

She moved away automatically. She ran to the table and found the jug and bowl the children had prepared for her and tried to lift it, but her hands shook so much that water sloshed over the edge and she could barely keep it steady as she tried to raise it. The tears were still coming and she took deep breaths to steady herself and try to calm down.

Then two large hands came over hers and held the jug and her in his grasp.

Bard did not say a word as he helped her pour out the water and settle the jug back down.

"Thank you," she managed to whisper to him, sniffing back the runny nose she felt. She didn't see Bard nod, nor his gentle almost smile but his hands held the back of hers for a moment longer before releasing her.

"Go," he stepped quickly away again so she could move with the bowl. She took it in both hands and eventually made her way back to her brother's side.

"Where in the name of sanity is that bloody Bofur?!" Druili didn't hide her frustration, nor quell her bad language for the sake of Tilda in the other room. She was too far gone to care and really, Bard couldn't blame her. Kili was worse. His fever had taken hold now and the pain was so intense he gripped Druili's hand too hard and she had to switch it so his grasp was on her shoulder. It was still painful when his fingers squeezed her, but at least her hands were getting a break.

Fili looked up at her as he tried to bathe Kili's hot face with a cold, wet cloth.

"He had a plan, you know what he's like, he-"

They all heard it.

A deep, loud rumble broke through the quiet house. It shook it. It shook the foundation and small amounts of dust from the rafters above rained down. It was like Thunder, but from below the ground.

They all knew what it was without saying anything. They all knew that the dragon was awake inside the Mountain. Her attention quickly turned to the children in the kitchen. They looked nervous and terrified and whilst Kili was now having a small interlude in his pain, she took a step away and towards them.

"Da?"

Sigrid's hands clenched in the fabrics of her skirt.

"It's coming from the mountain," Bain was trying to act tough. He was trying to be a man when he was still a boy and he looked just as scared as his siblings.

Fili moved from Kili's side also to stand by her and address Bard.

"You should leave us. Take your children and get out of here."

"And go where? There is nowhere to go," Bard was already resigned. He looked like a lost man.

"You have a boat, you can leave whilst there's still time," Druili's hand came out to touch the back of his hands, still resting on the table, mirroring his sentiment from earlier.

He shook his head sadly.

"There'd be no time," he whispered to her.

"Are we going to die, Da?" Tilda shook and walked towards her father, her lips quivering.

"No, darling," Bard shook his head and gave her a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. He made to move forward, but Druili had already moved around him and grabbed hold of Tilda's face. She looked at her with as much resolve as she could muster.

"No. No, I won't let anything happen to you," she pulled the little girl into a tight embrace, getting on her tiptoes so her head was closer to Tilda's, "I'll protect you."

She let go of Tilda and looked back at Bard, a small but sad smile on her face.

"If you're staying, then I will protect them as you have protected us. I swear."

Tilda still had that look of terror on her face as she looked at her father.

"The Dragon. It's going to kill us."

Druili felt sick. She knew Tilda was terrified and Bard knew it also, and he could do nothing to quell his children's fear of death. Or could he?

Druili saw a flicker of something in his eyes.

Determination? Resolution? Remembrance.

He turned his head to look above him and Druili thought he was saying a quiet prayer. How wrong she was.

He reached up to the rafters, avoiding the hanging nets, cooking instruments and assortment of household tools as his hand grasped a long, metal rod. With one swift tug, it came loose and the variety of items hanging with it fell to the table and the floor with a clatter.

He looked at his children and held the item aloft.

Druili gasped.

"Not if I kill it first."

"BARD," she couldn't take her eyes off of his weapon, "Is that a bloody Black Arrow?!" She knew it was without him needing to confirm it and started laughing, "Bard...I could kiss you."

He finally looked at her and she saw a faint tug at the corner of his mouth.

"You'd need a tall chair."

She just laughed harder at that.

"You...you are Bloody magnificent."

Kili began to cry out again and the moment for joy was gone. She turned and nodded at Tilda before going back over to her brother and Kin.

When it came to Bard leaving, he took Bain with him and Druili did quickly run to wish them luck. She didn't need a tall chair to give Bard his kiss though. Merely pulled him down to her level, grasped his face in her hands and pressed her lips firmly to his.

"You're one of the-the...oddest men I've ever had the pleasure to come across," she said when she pulled away, turning abruptly back to look after her brother.

She didn't miss his amused smirk though, nor the giggles of his daughters.

As the hour marched by, Druili felt like pulling her hair out and almost wishing she'd gone with Bard. It sounded selfish, but she didn't know how much longer she could cope with Kili in his state. She could see the veins in his body so clearly now with his pale skin and his thrashing was getting worse. He couldn't be held anymore. He didn't want to be touched so she could only hover over or by him, trying to get him to focus on her face. She'd switch with Fili so he could have a go, but he did no better.

And when she began to ask Oin for the Fiftieth time if he could do anything else to help, she felt like screaming in frustration at him when he shook his head.

So she moved away. She took a moment to try to ignore his cries and came to stand by the table. Her hands rested on the edges and she took deep breaths. She hoped something would happen soon because her nerves were frayed. She wondered what would happen if Bofur came back. Did he have a plan for Kingsfoil? And what of Bard and Bain? If the dragon did come loose, would Bain really be able to kill it with just one arrow?

She shut her eyes tight and tried to fight the building headache that all these questions brought.

And then she heard it. Above her head, the slightest creaking from the roof.

Her senses sprang to life. Something wasn't right. The creaking above her head was not that of a bird or cat. It was too large and heavy. It had many feet. There was more than one.

"Something's on the roof," she mumbled quietly, hoping that everyone else had heard her.

She quickly moved to the fireplace, remembering that's where she'd dropped the sword from earlier. Her hand was on the handle and she prepared herself when a sudden commotion came from outside.

She turned.

And she remembered that Sigrid had stepped outside their front door to keep an eye open for her father and brother.

And the scream that rang in her ears had her moving faster than she thought possible.

"SIGRID!"


	12. Desolation

C12: Desolation

"SIGRID!" Druili screamed as she ran forward. She saw Sigrid's frame blocking the door as she attempted to shut it on something, but it was suddenly yanked away from her grip. The girl hurriedly backed away, still screaming.

Druili already knew what it was without seeing its face. Its deep and guttural growl had already alerted her that the Orcs had finally caught up with them.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Bain desperately try to move Tilda back to safety. One less concern for her.

Without even thinking about it, she grabbed Sigrid's dress and yanked her hard, propelling the girl back as she jumped in front of her. She blocked the attack of the Orc sword easily with her own, but couldn't stop her forward momentum.

_'Here goes nothing!'_

Bracing herself for impact, she threw her shoulder hard against the middle of her opponent. It toppled backwards and she landed on top of it, rolling off quickly before it had a chance to attack. She raised her sword and stabbed it through its unprotected neck.

The Orc let out a garbled scream as black ooze poured from its mouth. As she twisted the blade to end its life quicker, another series of events happened.

Two loud bangs sounded, almost simultaneously and one Orc came in through the back door whilst another literally crashed through and onto the floor.

Druili looked at Sigrid as she lay on the workbench she had fallen upon, frozen in fear.

"GO WITH YOUR SISTER AND BROTHER, HIDE!"

She didn't get a chance to see if they did hide. Another Orc came barrelling in the door beside her and she just had time to pull the sword out of the now-dead Orc on the floor and block the attack. But she was in a difficult position. She couldn't get up off her knees with the blade pressing down against hers and this was a strong opponent. She gritted her teeth and tried to push with all her might.

And then, Fili appeared. He tackled the Orc and she watched as they both flew backwards, the Orc landing against the door as Fili landed against him.

"NOW!" He yelled to his sister as he tried to restrain the beast in his arms.

She shot up and lunged forward with the sword pointed out, the tip sliding almost unpleasantly into the Orc's head. In its death throes, it thrashed so violently that it threw Fili down and onto the floor.

"GET. OUT!" She ground out and pulled the sword away, watching the body slump to the floor, still twitching.

Another crash sounded and she turned around and quickly surveyed the situation. Two live Orcs. Oin was trying desperately to fend one off by throwing items at it and still trying to protect Kili. And the other was now standing by the table.

Snarling and baring its teeth at Tilda.

"TILDA!" Druili sprang forward just as she watched the little girl suddenly toss a plate at the beast, momentarily distracting it as it shook its head clean of shards of the plate.

She thought fast when she spotted Sigrid under the table.

"GET UNDER!" She grabbed Tilda and pushed her firmly down and into her waiting sister's arms.

The Orc then drew its attention to her, snarling viciously. She brought her blade up and felt pain reverberate in her arms when the Orc's own blade clashed against hers. Human swords had nothing on Dwarf or even Elven blades. Her arms trembled but she held fast.

Another two joined the fray, both crashing in from the roof. That was four Orcs now.

"OI!" She screamed as loud as she could, drawing all the attention to her, "COME ON YA' BASTARDS, I'LL TAKE YOU ALL ON!"

And they advanced. Quickly. She swung her blade out and managed to catch one in the legs, but she spent most of the time ducking and dodging as the others attacked. One stepped back when Tilda and Sigrid screamed and flipped the table they were cowering under.

Druili saw red.

For the first time in her life, she was going to enjoy taking the lives of these Orcs. She avoided another swing but used it against the Orc as she moved quickly. She tucked and rolled between two and threw her sword into the Orc that was reaching for the two girls. It growled and fell to the floor, but Druili didn't watch it die.

She turned quickly as the Orc raised its weapon to strike her and used her head.

Literally. She pushed her body up and forwards and felt the satisfying crunch when the Orcs jaw connected with her skull.

Dwalin had been very specific with her training. She had a hard head and that was her secret weapon. Without even giving herself time to recover, she dove down and placing her hands on the floor, threw her legs over and onto the Orc in front of her.

The Orc dropped its weapon in surprise and tried to claw at her legs, but she quickly used the leverage she had. She sat upon the Orc's shoulders so suddenly, it fell backwards and before it had a chance to hit the floor, Druili squeezed her thighs together tightly.

So tightly, that the resulting 'Pop!' that sounded in her ears was almost melodious. She rolled herself off the corpse and turned around, expecting to see them all dead.

But the other Orc that she had head-butted wasn't dead. It was in pain and angry, but Bain had come to her rescue and was trying to hold it off by using the upturned bench as a sort of battering ram. And another had crashed through the ceiling. She saw her weapon and dove for it, just in time to see another Orc appear at the open door where they had first come in.

Her hand came around the handle of the sword and she'd just pulled it out of the Orc when something else caught her attention.

A figure clad in familiar robes of green, with hair just as red as Dru's, pushed the advancing Orc out of the door with her knife embedding into its throat. It fell backwards, where it went over the railing and Druili heard the splash, knowing it had met its watery grave.

_'Tauriel.'_

That had been the female's name.

Tilda's scream pulled her back to the current situation and she swivelled on her feet and struck the front of the oncoming Orc so hard across its neck, she nearly decapitated it.

She turned to see another Orc crash through the roof and counted three in total. She just really hoped she wasn't wrong.

The Orcs in question were no longer looking directly at her though. They'd switched their attention to Tauriel.

Tauriel moved forward and Druili could see the calm fire burning beneath her eyes. Druili didn't know if Tauriel could tell there was another one coming in through the door, but she warned her anyway.

"WATCH YOUR BACK!" She dove forward and took out the Orc that had previously been preoccupied with herself and Bain. It fell to its knees with a grunt.

Tauriel easily (and elegantly) turned around and quickly kicked the oncoming Orc with such force, that it practically flew back, out the door and over the railing, meeting its friend in the waters below.

Druili would NOT say how impressive that was.

As Tauriel began to take out the other two, Druili turned around when Tilda screamed again. Oin was now with both girls, pressing them back against the upturned table, trying to shield them from harm.

Another Orc fell farther from her, and then another.

And one more figure fell from the roof above. But it wasn't an Orc. It was the blonde elf from Mirkwood. Had she overheard him called Legolas? He quickly rid himself of one of the Orcs that had fallen in before him.

Fili had grabbed one of the earlier weapons Bain had offered them and was able to not only protect himself but Bain also. But then, who was protecting-

She quickly turned and looked at Kili. He was struggling as he tried to frantically sit up in the bed he was in. No one had seen the other Orc enter from the back door. It grabbed at his damaged leg and pulled him, causing Kili to scream as he tried his best to kick it off.

"KILI!" She screamed out and charged forward, intent on reaching her brother before the Orc. But someone had apparently heard his cries and the next moment, she saw a dagger fly through the air and stick into the Orc's neck. It fell to the side violently and poor Kili tumbled out of the bed and onto the floor.

She could have reached him when one of the Orcs whirled on her. In her blind fury at being stopped, she swore so bluntly that even the Orc looked curious at her choice of words.

As her sword found the weak point in armour and she drove it home through its gut, she really hoped Tilda wasn't paying attention.

As the body fell to the floor and she pulled out the sword, she felt another presence behind her back and whirled around. The Orc that had just landed from atop was facing Legolas and hadn't noticed her there. A big mistake.

With expert quickness, she turned and sliced the creatures head clean from its shoulders. It flew across and hit the wall, before rebounding back to roll at her feet.

The body fell to the floor.

Legolas was standing on the other side, his dagger drawn and out as if ready to attack her. But it was covered in a dark liquid already.

"Nice of you two bloody join us," Druili nodded her head in genuine appreciation, but still couldn't fully be nice to him. She still didn't like this elf.

He arched a brow at her.

"That Orc was dead already."

She squinted and turned from him as another two orcs appeared.

"' That Orc was dead already,'" she mimicked his voice and scowled as she charged, "bollocks!"

The three of them worked well together. She wouldn't admit it out loud, but they seemed to have the situation under control. Just as soon as one Orc entered, they were dead on the floor, either by Legolas' arrow, Druili's sword or Tauriel's knives.

Fili grabbed hold of Bain and pulled him towards the table with his siblings and Oin when an Orc spotted them. It raised its sharpened club for the kill. Druili did not hesitate.

She'd leapt over the table and delivered a kick to the beast, before calling on her fighting companion.

"TAURIEL!"

The she-elf spun around and as the Orc fell towards her, she stabbed it in its arm. Druili watched it cry out with grim satisfaction.

But then, Kili appeared out of nowhere. He'd gotten hold of the dagger that had saved his life and plunged it into the Orc's side. He held on as the creature fell to the floor and he fell with it.

He let go and turned onto his back as he hit the floor.

Druili could see the pain spread through him instantly.

He screamed louder than he had the entire day they'd been there.

"KI'!" She cried out and immediately dropped down to him. Her hands came around him and she tried to pull him to her, but he thrashed and cried at her.

"You stupid boy!" She cried angrily but could feel tears prickling at the back of her eyes again, "You should have left it to us, we can handle it!"

There was still an Orc or two in the house, but she knew the elves could handle it. She knelt over him, her body shielding Kili from any harm.

And she looked at his face and grimaced. His eyes, when not screwed shut tight because of the pain, had begun to grow colourless. His 'Beautiful Browns' were now dulling. And with his mouth opened wide as he screamed, she could see the faint tinge of black on his tongue and gums.

"Mahal, Kili," she whimpered and somehow managed to pull him onto her lap. He didn't protest but clung onto her with what strength he had.

She could hear cries and shouts from outside the house as well as inside. And then, they stopped. As the last body fell and silence descended, the only sounds in the house were everyone's frantic breathing and Kili's cries. She managed to tear her eyes away from him, looking around desperately for Fili and Oin.

"You killed them all," Bain caught her attention and when she looked at him, saw her brother standing by him.

"FI'!" She cried out, "Fi', help!"

Fili bounded over the upturned table instead of walking around and joined her. He stood frozen to the spot as he looked down at Kili, worry etched on his face. Druili had never seen him look that way and it terrified her.

He felt just as helpless as she did.

Oin quickly followed and gently grabbed Kili's head, looking him over with a matter of urgency.

"We're losing him!" He looked between Fili and Druili and she let out a startled wail.

"No. No, help him!" She looked around the room at everyone. Tilda and Sigrid were holding one another, crying. Bain was shaking. Legolas was already out of the door and Tauriel...Tauriel was just staring at Kili.

"Please," Druili heard herself whine as she cried, "Tauriel! Help him, please."

Druili did not know if Tauriel COULD help him. But then, would she? Her eyes flickered briefly to Druili's and it was almost as if she would comply.

"Tauriel," Legolas called from the door before stepping away and into the night.

Tauriel looked away towards the open door. The night was calling. She could leave and never have to look back on them. She could forget that they ever existed, even after the talk with Kili in Mirkwood.

Druili's eyes left hers and fell back to Kili's face as he seemed to be in the final throes of his pain. Her tears fell on his face and she shakily wiped them away, along with his own sweat and tears.

"No," she whined out and let the sobs take over, "Hold on, brother...Hold on! Fight it. Please!"

She heard Tauriel's footsteps walk by her and quieten as she exited the door.

A hand came onto her shoulder as Kili suddenly clutched at his chest and she looked up into Fili's eyes. He was crying with her.

This was it. They were going to lose their brother and there was nothing either could do about it. So she just kept on crying. And she would have continued, had it not been for Tauriel's reappearance and sudden proclamation.

"Get him on the table."

All three Dwarves turned to look at her. She was clutching a familiar plant and Druili tried to breath through her sobs to remember what it was called. Bofur appeared at her side.

"She took the Kingsfoil!" He signalled at Tauriel before his eyes landed back on Kili, "she said she's going to save him."

Druili took a couple of shaky breaths as she clung onto Kili and her gaze locked with Tauriel's.

"Table. Quickly."

She didn't need to be told twice. She allowed Fili, Oin and Bofur to take him off of her hands whilst she quickly made her way to the upturned table.

"Tilda, Sigrid, help me!"

They hurriedly cleared clutter and bodies out of the way so they could turn the table over. Soon enough, it was the right way up and just in time for as soon as they had it steadied on its legs, Kili was laid on it. He kicked and screamed and spat out curses. Druili looked around and saw Tauriel in the little kitchen, preparing the plant. She finally stopped her tears and stifled her sobs. They needed to save Kili. And quickly.

"Tilda. Sigrid," she turned to them, "go help her, please. Anything she needs, help her."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Kili! Kili, STOP IT!"

Druili lunged forward and grabbed hold of her brothers thrashing arm and held it down against the table. His flailing had become so violent, that when his arm came down against the edges of the table, he was actually causing himself to bruise and bleed.

"Kili, you're hurting yourself, stop it!" She was trying not to sound harsh, but dammit he didn't need any more injuries!

"Hold him down," Tauriel moved around them with the bowl and herbs now apparently ready. Fili, Bofur and Oin agreed immediately, each taking up both legs and his other arm. And still, Kili thrashed and they struggled to keep him steady.

Druili had to hop half onto the table and lean her torso against his arm as she tried to stop his own torso wriggling. It was not an ideal hold she had on him, nor did it help when his arm tried to break free from her grip. Her head kept bouncing off of his stomach and she was forced to turn and watch Tauriel as she began to work on him.

Tauriel placed the bowl and herbs down and with a surprising and firm grip, managed to hold Kili's leg down long enough to pull the fabric away from his wound and inspect it. Druili hadn't been so close to the wound before and the smell was overwhelming to her heightened sense. Finally smelling it and seeing it without the bandage made her stomach churn and she hurriedly turned away and made a gagging sound. She shut her eyes and tried to control herself.

"Move away," Fili grunted out and her eyes snapped out to look at him.

"No," she began to breathe in through her mouth and out through her nose, "I'll be all right-" she gagged again when the smell found its way into her nostrils.

She'd never smelled death before. But if it had a scent, this would be pretty close to it.

"Move!" Fili grunted again, a little harsher but she would not be moved.

"I'm fine!" She pulled herself together and vowed to bear through the pain, "I have to hold him!"

Kili's head moved then. His eyes were open and unfocused and she felt her will slip when she looked into them. They were not only dull now, but almost pure white. He gasped and lowered his head back down, unable to hold it up anymore.

She turned back to Tauriel.

"Please. Please hurry," she whispered and looked entreatingly at her.

The Elf began to grind the herbs between her hands and chant. Druili did not know Elvish well, but the words held a power she was familiar with. It was ancient and sacred and had the same effect on her that Gandalf's words had atop the mountain when he helped Thorin.

Druili was almost transfixed as she listened.

If it hadn't been for Kili's thrashing, she would have gotten lost, listening to Tauriel. When her hands came down and pushed the herb in, the sound it made...was not something Druili ever hoped to hear again. The sound of flesh as it was moved and healed.

Raw.

And Kili's screams pulled her away from Tauriel's soothing words and she almost fell off of him when he tried to break free.

"Kili! Please!" She called out, hoping that her brother could hear her in his state.

Sigrid suddenly appeared beside her and helped hold down the arm that was threatening to throw Druili off.

"Ugh, Tilda!"

Tilda stepped forward and grabbed hold of Kili's unwounded thigh.

Druili finally managed to steady herself and at last, they had his violently jerking motions down to the point that Tauriel could work on him without hurting him further. Or he hurting himself.

Tauriel continued her chanting. Eyes sometimes shut. Eyes sometimes only on Kili. And when they moved to Kili, Druili could feel her pouring all the power she had into her words. Into healing him.

She felt the sweat break on her forehead from her own exertion of trying to hold him still. Trying to hold onto her big brother.

Tauriel's words went on and on and finally, Druili shut her eyes tight and began to chant her own recitation.

"Please work. Please. Please Work. Please."

And then, Kili stopped fighting. His groans and cries quietened. And his body stilled.

Her eyes snapped open and she ventured a look at his pale, exhausted face.

His eyes were brown again and his breathing regulated as he stared up at Tauriel, wonder and confusion on his features instead of pain.

"It's working," Druili turned her head quickly and squealed almost joyfully to the girls next to her, "It's working!"

She looked around the table at everyone. Fili was sweating from the exertion also, but he looked relieved. As did Oin. Bain stood back in the doorway, clutching it and taking deep breaths.

And amongst all of this, Tauriel and Kili were still looking at one another. And Druili had only ever seen that look once before and recognised it immediately.

_'I think...I think she might be his one...mother won't be happy.'_

Finally, Kili's eyes slipped shut and his head lolled back onto the plate of walnuts they had rested below him to cushion his head. She hadn't questioned it at the time, no matter how odd a choice it seemed.

"KI'?!" Druili slipped off of him and grasped his arm, but Fili shook his head and managed a small smile.

"It's all right...his breathing has returned to normal...he's asleep."

Druili gave a shaky laugh but was frowning when her head fell against his chest.

"I'll bloody kill him," she mumbled against his chest before pushing away completely, "but I'll let him rest for now."

The others let Kili go also and since he was resting, she took a step back and caught Tilda and Sigrid's eyes. She was suddenly flooded with so much emotion for these two girls. She reached up and grasped both of them around the necks, pulling them into a tight (if awkward) embrace.

"Thank you," her voice was hoarse and rough from crying as she felt herself getting choked up again, "Thank you both."

Sigrid managed to place an arm around her shoulders.

"You promised to protect us. You did."

"Technically, that were the elves but...you're welcome."

Tilda sighed and leant her head against Druili's shoulder, though possibly from exhaustion than anything else.

"It's very strange," she commented dryly.

"What?" Druili finally released her grip just enough for the two to pull away and look at one another. They were hunched down slightly to look at her, but they didn't seem to mind that.

"Hugging someone so small and so old," Tilda smiled sweetly, but Sigrid threw her a small look. Druili only laughed.

"It's strange hugging a baby who I'm sure could pick me up if she wanted," her eyes danced merrily over to Sigrid's, "And I'm sure you'd have no problem."

They laughed and released one another, Druili turning around to survey the room and the destruction. And then she counted the heads and squinted.

"Wait, where's Bofur?"

"I believe your friend is over here," Tauriel for once didn't sound as calm as she should, her voice a little shaky as she continued to look down at Kili, "he passed out on the floor when I applied the herbs to Ki-Kili."

Druili's brow creased and she bent down low to look under the table. Sure enough, Bofur was laid out on the floor.

"Oh dear," she straightened and turned to Sigrid with a small smile, "Sigrid, be a dear and show me where you keep the buckets-"

Sigrid already knew what she wanted and her almost gleeful smile surprised Druili.

"I'll do it."

Who knew that Sigrid held great satisfaction in throwing buckets of water over people? Or maybe that was just Bofur.

When Sigrid marched away, she turned to Tilda.

"Come on, I'll help you," she waved her hands around the room, "tidy this place up a little for your father."

What she really meant was Tilda was going to tidy up things and Druili was going to drag any remembrance of the Orc attack outside and toss it in the water. Now, where did that head go?

"Can I ask a question?" Tilda began to potter around, picking up homeware and plates that seemed to have survived getting broken.

"Go for it," Druili was turning pillows and such over, trying to find where that blasted head had rolled to, "and if you find a head let me know."

"What was that word you said earlier?" Tilda said and Druili suddenly felt a chill go up to her spine, "The Cu-"

Druili suddenly startled everyone in the room (minus Kili) with the loud garbled noise she made. She rushed over to Tilda and waved her hands in front of her face frantically.

"DON'T...Don't repeat that word. I have a feeling your father will not take kindly if he hears you say that word...or that I taught you it."

Tilda seemed to understand and moved away from her, though Druili was sure that she'd ask someone else later. She just hoped that it wouldn't be Sigrid or Bain. Maybe Tauriel could tell her in a very nice and elegant way?

She heard a small shriek from the kitchen and saw Bain looking down at something, his face white as a sheet.

"Ah, Bain?" Druili grimaced as he turned frightened eyes to her, "If that's a head I'll get that."

XXXXXXXXXXX

The head had been disposed of, as had a severed arm they eventually found and tossed out the open door and into the water below. She hoped the fish didn't mind.

Bofur had taken the children aside and it actually looked like he was trying to reassure them about their absent father. If he HAD been put in prison by the guards during the Orc attack, then it would be unlikely he was hurt. Druili supposed that was a small measure of comfort to them.

She saw Oin and Fili busying themselves in the kitchen, trying to make some more herbs for the pain that Kili would obviously still be in. If they were to travel quickly to the mountain, they'd need to do so with Kili as he was. Still, the Kingsfoil seemed to be working fast for him. No fever, no aches and his breathing had returned to normal.

Speaking of Kili, when she looked over to him on the table, Tauriel was still with him. The Elf was tying new bandages around his leg but kept sneaking little glances at his face. He watched her as he drifted in and out of consciousness.

Druili turned back to the kitchen and her eyes caught Fili's.

She walked straight over to him and without a word, they caught one another in an almost crushing embrace. They had very nearly died by Orcs and lost their brother. But they knew they were not out of danger yet.

Still, they enjoyed the moment whilst it lasted. They just held on tightly to one another and Druili shut her eyes as she leaned her head against his.

"He's fine. He is bloody reckless and if Mam finds out about this, she'll boil his bollocks."

The rewarding chuckle from Fili was like music to her ears.

When they pulled away, Druili caught Oin's eye and crooked an eyebrow at his smiling face.

"Did you want a hug also?"

"No, no, you two carry on," Oin seemed amused by something but turned away to grind some of the herbs that Bard had.

When her hands slipped away from Fili's hold, his hand found hers. She gave an automatic squeeze and turned back to watch Kili and Tauriel curiously.

He had awakened enough that he was conversing with her about something.

Their voices were low as they looked at one another. Tauriel seemed...almost shy at the words he spoke? Druili watched as their hands moved against one another and their fingertips slowly became entwined.

He was holding her hand and she was letting him. Holding him with such delicacy.

Druili almost felt like looking away, as if she was intruding on a moment she shouldn't be. But for the first time that day, she actually felt a little bit of happiness.

She leant in to whisper low to Fili.

"Fi...I think...I think this is it," her eyes moved to his almost pleadingly, "I don't think she's a Rosie, or a Rosemary...or even a Violet. I think he loves her."

Fili had been watching them also. He just gave a small, grave nod.

Tauriel had moved aside shortly after the hand-holding, walking out the house to 'get some air'. Druili had a feeling that she was going to be staying a bit longer, just to ensure that Kili was all right. How long she'd stay with them though was still up for debate. Kili had slipped back into a peaceful sleep and his sister took the moment to check on him.

At some point during the evening, she'd removed her gloves and for the first time in months felt she didn't need them. Whilst it was cold inside the house as well as out, the events of the last day seemed to have a strange effect on her. Her entire body was warm, her senses were sharpened but she felt strangely on edge. That was possibly to do with the Dragon and her friends being in a mountain with it. The occasional, gentle rumble could still be heard and felt, but nothing as violent as the first one they had heard earlier that evening. She had a feeling the dragon had awoken but was being contained. Maybe they'd killed it somehow? She could only hope.

As she leaned over the side of the table and placed her warm palm against her brother's forehead as gently as she could, Kili stirred. Her hair fell down and tickled his cheek and when his eyes opened and focused on her, he gave her a weak smile.

"Hello pretty boy," she smiled back and began to stroke his hair away, "fancy seeing you here."

"Piglet," his reply was weak, but that was him more so than it had been the last few days. That was her brother. Her Kili.

She tiptoed and very gently placed their foreheads together. The tips of their noses just touching as she shut her eyes and just enjoyed feeling him alive and breathing against her.

"You gave me quite a fright. You know, when you're better, I'm going to punch you, all right?"

Kili just sighed sleepily.

"I would be surprised if you didn't."

She let out a slow, breathy laugh.

"Just do me a favour? Try to stop being so reckless. Or you'll prove to mother how right she was."

She pulled away to look down at him. He was definitely the most tired of the lot and would need his rest. Her eyes caught movement above her and saw Tauriel turn away in the doorway as if she hadn't just been watching them.

She looked back down at Kili.

"If you need me, just call. Ok?"

His eyes remained shut but he nodded anyway and smiled when she planted a small kiss against his forehead.

She moved away and out the door, watching as the Elf walked away from her. Whether or not she knew Druili was actually there, she didn't know. But she definitely needed to straighten things out.

"Oi."  
Tauriel turned around and a brief moment of surprise crossed her pretty features. But her mask slipped back on and she nodded curtly at Druili.

The Dwarrowdam marched forward so she was standing in front of Tauriel again. Her pose very much the same as when they'd squared up to one another the first time they had met.

But whilst Druili's eyes were hard and firm, there was no hate there. Just resolve.

"You've...you've saved my brother's life three times. Once in the forest, once in the barrels and again, tonight. So," she managed to get everything out in a rush before thrusting her hand up and out at Tauriel, holding it near the Elf maids chest, "thank you."

Tauriel looked at the offered limb and blinked a couple of times. She didn't bother to mask her surprise this time.

"I-"

Druili just rolled her eyes and groaned.

"Oh, just bloody take it."

Tauriel didn't like being told what to do. But considering that this Dwarf was actually offering her a small symbol of respect if not friendship, she didn't really want to offend her.

Her hand moved gracefully and wrapped around Druili's wrist. Druili did the same (or the best she could considering she didn't quite reach Tauriel's wrist) and then nodded at the woman.

"Thank you. I am indebted to you," Druili seemed to be struggling with something before she managed to get out, "You fight great...for an elf."

Tauriel let a small smile spread over her face and her eyes warmed for a second.

"And you fight well, for a little Dwarf."

Druili immediately pulled back her hand and scowled. Before she let out a snort of laughter. She stood there for a couple of seconds more, awkwardly shuffling and rubbing at her tresses.

"Also...my brother...he's kind. He's good. And...he's very handsome...any girl would be lucky to have him."

Tauriel noted how Druili avoided eye contact the entire time she spoke. She also noted just how quickly the female spun away from her and re-entered the house. She did not suppress the smile that spread across her face.

Dwarves were very interesting creatures.

As Druili made her way back to the kitchen, she chanced a glance at Fili. He was watching her with a twinkle of amusement in his eye. He obviously hadn't missed the little blush that spread across her cheeks. She came to stand in front of him and inclined her head forward.

"Fi," she whispered, "I...I made friends with the elf."

He snorted.

"Big of you."

"Listen, if she is," she went even quieter when Oin shuffled about in the background, "his one, then...they're going to need all the support they can get."

Fili actually pulled away from her and looked down at her in surprise. She supposed he hadn't been thinking about their brother finally finding his one true love. His one true mate. And it turning out to be an elf.

"Oh?"

She arched her brow at him knowingly.

"Well, mother's not going to be happy and I don't even want to think about Thorin-"

She was cut off in her musings by the terrible rumble that shook through the house. This one was not a slight tremor. Nor did it even measure up to the one from earlier.

Druili actually lost her balance and Fili grabbed onto her waist to steady her. They looked at one another in horror.

She ran from him and towards the door. As she leant over the railings, she managed to catch sight of the Mountains in the distance. It was glowing.

"There's...there's a light coming from within the Mountain. It looks...it's like the Forges have been re-lighted," she called out behind her but didn't take her eyes off the mountain. It couldn't just be the forges relighting. It was something else. But as smoke rose, she found it hard to see anything other than the glow. She strained her eyes.

"There are forges in there?" Tilda suddenly appeared beside her and tried not to block Druili's view of the mountain as she glanced at it curiously.

"Oh yes, the most-" And she saw it. Movement in the sky. A shape darting quickly out of the smoke and back in, "Tilda...Tilda, go to your sister."

Tilda made no argument. Druili didn't know if she'd seen the shape also, but the sternness in Druili's voice may have frightened her more than anything.

She pushed away from the railing and tore her eyes from the mountain to dart back inside.

Fili looked at her questioningly, but she knew he already had the answer.

She stared at him and couldn't bring herself to say the word. She couldn't bring herself to say out loud to him, that the creature had awakened and was on its way.

The screams of the people outside began to filter in.

_The Dragon was coming._


	13. NEW STORY UP!

Hi guys! Quick update for those that don't know, the newest story is up now! 'The Battle for Home!'


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